


The Breath of the Phoenix

by slowdissolve



Series: KyaLin Sketches and Adventures [8]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Action, Drama & Romance, Drug Use, Eventual Sex, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-01-26 10:53:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 24
Words: 42,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12555856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slowdissolve/pseuds/slowdissolve
Summary: Kya and Lin have differing views on the use of a special, potent herb. The argument over it leads Kya to a source of powerful visions, but at a great cost.





	1. Drifting in the Moonlight

Lin Beifong came home to a quiet house. This wasn’t unusual. It was late again, and a full moon lit her way to the door. Katara was most certainly in bed by now, and Kya would be reading in bed, or listening to the radio, waiting for her.

She smiled inwardly. This was the best thing. Every day at work was one crisis or disaster after another, but since she and Kya were together now, she was always there when she got home. It was the perfect antidote to the rest of the world’s madness. Stable and predictable, safe and secure, soft and warm.

She entered the darkened building. Perhaps Kya had already gone to bed. She silently moved through the rooms of their home and checked for her in the bedroom, but Kya wasn’t there.

Okay, “always there” at home wasn’t absolute. Sometimes she went out to Air Temple Island. Sometimes she went to the Kyoshi Island Women’s Club. Lin had said from the very beginning that she would not do anything to restrain Kya’s free spirit. The magic of promising her that freedom was that Kya always _did_ come home, and yes, _that_ “always” was absolute. She could depend on Kya’s love.

Still, also from the beginning, Lin knew that Kya had a policy to always make absolutely plain what her plans were. Back from her youth, when a kiss could seem like a promise, Kya had learned to tell people what her intentions were, to avoid confusing someone about whether she intended to stay.

Indeed, when she’d failed to show up for their first lunch together, at the very start of their relationship, it was a sign that something had gone wrong.

Lin tried not to think about that right now. Maybe Kya was still around the place… it was an unusually warm fall evening, and she might be wandering around the garden. It was a full moon, after all, and Kya might be practicing some esoteric waterbending forms using the moon’s pull to aid her.

She remembered with a growing smile how Kya had used her bending to win a little competition with her: Lin could not resist the combination of Kya’s beautiful body and the graceful shifting movements of the waterbending forms. She’d lost all resolve to keep her hands off Kya, and when she’d forfeited the game, Kya touched her first, technically losing the game herself.   
  
Lin felt the curl in her stomach, that familiar feeling of warmth and excitement, when she thought of what happened after. Now it was important to find Kya… it was a perfect time to reminisce about that particular evening’s events.

She went out the back door, into the garden, but Kya was not on the swing. She wasn’t walking the garden paths, and she wasn’t practicing forms in the moonlight. Lin was puzzled. She moved out into the garden, through the hedges, looking. She called out. “Kya?”

“Here,” her soft voice said.

Kya was floating, unclothed, in a pool of water. Her silver hair spread out around her like a great halo, under the lily pads, drifting gently with eddies in the water that she stirred by slowly moving her hands.

Lin was relieved, but completely baffled.

“What… Kya, what are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Kya laughed, dreamily. Her eyes were half shut and she smiled broadly as the water lapped over her skin.

Something was odd about Kya’s voice. Lin knew her well by now, so the gentle, lazy tone of her “Nothing” struck Lin as very odd.

“Are you all right? What’s with the water?”

“Floating, baby…” Kya said, strangely slowly. “Feeling the mooooon. Come and join me!”

“Are you hurt?”

“Noooooooo,” Kya drawled, and then she laughed again, as though half asleep. “I feel reeeaalllly gooooooddd.”

Lin frowned.

“Have you been drinking?”

“Nooope.”

“What on earth has come over you?” Lin said, knowing her anxiety was coming through her voice as irritation.

“Loooove,” Kya laughed again. “Come with meeee!”

“It’s time for bed, Kya.”

“Okay,” she said, like a child. She sat up in the water, and looked a little lost. “Where are we?”

Lin took her hand, and pulled her up out of the water, grateful for the late hour and the tall hedges. Kya was still so strikingly beautiful, and the moonlight on her long, silver hair, hanging straight, made Lin almost forget her concern.

She bent and picked up Kya’s clothes, carelessly shed at the edge of the pool. Kya stood there, dreamily, not assisting, not speaking.

Lin took her hand and guided her back into the house, and through their bedroom to the bath. She started a shower, to wash off the bits of fallen leaves and algae from the pond, and had to gently push Kya in. Kya stood under the running water, her face uplifted, seeming to enjoy the sensation, but she made no effort to wash.

Lin didn’t know whether to be terrified or annoyed. She had no idea why Kya was like this. Had she been taken over by a spirit? Was she sick and didn’t know it? Katara was home, and sound asleep, so why was Kya out gallivanting in the garden without a stitch of clothing on?

Lin handed her soap. Kya stood, smiling innocently, but then, her expression changed, and she pulled Lin into the shower with her, and moved to kiss her.

“I’m still dressed!” Lin protested. But it was too late. She was soaked, and Kya’s lips and gorgeous body were right there in front of her. She gave in to the kiss, still not understanding, but glad that Kya was aware enough to trust Lin with taking care of her. Kya was going to be all right, she supposed, but in the morning they were definitely going to talk about what was going on. She stripped off her own things, throwing them out onto the bathroom floor, took back the soap and washed Kya, who turned and raised her arms as instructed, and was washed completely clean. She briskly washed herself, and then led Kya back out, and found towels for them both.

Kya said nothing the whole time, and then, finally, after Lin had dried her hair and combed it, she climbed into the sheets that Lin lifted for her, and lay down, like a small child being tucked in.

She went around the bed and climbed in to join her, pulling the chain to the lamp, and in the darkness, she looked at Kya’s eyes. Kya was rapidly falling asleep.

“Luvvooo,” Kya murmured, and she was out.

Lin lay there, sleep eluding her, and watched Kya in the moonlight from the window, mystified.

 

 


	2. Not Eye to Eye

With a yawn and a stretch, Kya climbed out of bed. There was daylight, and she was alone in the room; normal, even for the shorter days of autumn. Lin was always up at the same hour, whether it was full dark or not. She had no memory of going to bed, but she’d got there somehow, and that was just fine.

She felt good. It had been quite a long time since she’d used herbs to relax. With the full moon, it was especially pleasant to experience the night air and the water, and she’d had a wonderful, uplifting vision.

When she’d heard Lin’s voice in her vision, her heart had swelled with love. Kya remembered feeling complete trust as she was led through open fields under starlight. She’d felt a warm, sweet rain, and in her vision Lin appeared to her, and she was swept with desire as they’d kissed.

The rest was more sensation than actual seeing, of softness, warmth, being touched everywhere by gentle hands, on her body, smoothing her hair.

And now she was awake, and energized for a new day. Lin was likely at work now, but Kya was eager to see her; maybe she’d surprise her with lunch.

She went into the bathroom, and noticed that Lin’s trousers and shirt were hanging on the shower door, damp. This struck her as very odd. It hadn’t rained last night, except in her vision, so how did Lin’s clothes get soaked?

Kya tried to remember. While she was in her trance, she was keenly aware of her own body and noticed many small details… the moonlight on the water, how when she’d climbed into the pool the water embraced her, and how her qi was invigorated and she felt extremely powerful. Energy had surged through her, and she visualized taking it all in.

At the same time, much of what was happening outside her personal space seemed to blur. She’d lost track of time, and she couldn’t remember Lin coming home, or how she’d got into bed. Well, maybe Lin could fill her in on those details, she thought.

Kya dressed and went out into the kitchen. Lin was there, waiting for her.

“Lin!” she said, surprised. “Good morning! I didn’t expect you!”

“What happened last night?” Lin asked, her voice hard.

“I was hoping you could fill me in on a few details,” Kya laughed. “I had a vision, but I’m not sure how I made it to bed.”

“I found you in the pond. You were naked.”

“Oh… okay.” Kya looked sheepish.

“What happened?”

“I used some herbs. I wanted to relax. They might have been a little stronger than I anticipated.”

“You WHAT?!”

“What? I know what I’m doing. I’m an herbalist. I know their properties.”

“Are you kidding me? You took them for fun?!”

“It’s nothing serious! They’re just herbs. I know what they do!” Kya’s face was flushed.

Lin wasn’t satisfied. ''Nothing serious?! You were naked, for spirits’ sake! Outdoors, alone, nothing on! You don’t even remember!”

“I was perfectly safe! I took a small dose of a plant that’s been used for hundreds of years!”

“You were out of your mind! You barely recognized me! What if it had been somebody else?”

“But it wasn’t!”

Kya caught sight of her mother Katara in the corner of her eye. She blushed crimson.

“Kya…” she said.

Kya flopped down onto a kitchen chair.

“I am an adult,” she said, sullenly. “I am a qualified, experienced herbalist. I know proper dosages for herbs that promote relaxation and spiritual experiences.”

“Herbs that should be used for medicine, not recreation,” Katara said, sadly.

“Mom.”

“Was it ‘Chin’s Beard’?” Katara asked.

Kya could not meet her gaze. She was angry and embarrassed, being questioned like a teenager. This was ridiculous.

“‘Chin’s Beard’?” Lin exclaimed. “That’s illegal! It’s dangerous!”

Kya shouted, “Only when you don’t know how to use it! Which I do!”

“Do you have any idea how many people have died from that garbage? How many people I’ve arrested for terrible things… murders! While on that stuff?” Lin was pale, and her face had sunk into its all-too-familiar scowl.

“They overdosed! They used too much!” Kya protested. “I know the process and how much to use to have a safe experi…”

“A safe experience?!” Lin interrupted. “How many died from the overdoses? That’s WHY it’s illegal! And those dirtbags who deal in it! Pimps and triad thugs, wasters! I can’t believe you’d do something so stupid!”

Kya had had enough. They didn’t understand, and there was going to be no way to explain it to them now. She stood.

“Where’d you get it?” Lin demanded.

“In our garden,” Kya said, angrily. “You’ve walked right by it a hundred times. But you don’t know anything about plants. Not like I do.”

“Show me. It has to go.”

“You’re acting a lot like your mother now,” Kya sniped, knowing that would sting. “But you’re not mine.”

“But I am,” Katara said, quietly.

Kya turned her back on them and stomped to the bedroom. She emerged just moments later with a bag slung over her back.

“I’m leaving.”

“Kya! Wait,” Lin said, suddenly shocked, but Katara put a gentle hand on Lin’s forearm.

Kya went out the front door and slammed it.


	3. Mother and Daughter

She missed him every day. Every day.

Aang wouldn’t have known any better than she did what to do about Kya. Kya’s will was as strong as her own, but sometimes it really seemed like she wanted to do what she wanted just to oppose her and her father. But Aang and she would have figured it out, together.

When he’d passed, it was a blow unlike any other. Part of herself went with him. That will to fight, the great powerful force that had always driven her, just seemed to vanish, gently, as he let go of life that last day. 

She knew he’d be reborn, and he was, in Korra, but of course it couldn’t be the same. The three years between his passing and the time they learned Korra was the new Avatar were the hardest, and she was grateful that Kya had come home to be with her. 

Aang was in Kya too, she knew. In her playfulness and the joy she found in thrill-seeking; in her desire to be friends with everyone, that easy way she loved; the way she valued life in every form. That was her father in her. She could still feel Aang’s love for her every time Kya was there close to her, even now.

But there was something else in Kya too, and maybe it was that force that Katara had passed on. Kya was as determined to be a strong, independent woman as she herself had been, and Katara was delighted to encourage her. Kya had sparred with her at waterbending as fiercely as she herself had sparred with Master Pakku. She stood up to bullies as a child, and came home with bruises and scratches from school, always defending the weak. Kya was stubborn, righteously, as Katara herself was stubborn.

But young people always need to find their own path. Kya had fallen in love with an older woman who was dying, and setting her free had broken Kya’s heart; so she understood Kya’s need to get away from those memories and create new ones. Aang, Sokka and Toph, Suki and Ty Lee, Zuko and Mei, even Uncle Iroh. They’d all helped her make new memories that, while they didn’t erase the pain of losing her mother, built a life in which pain and loss were the lesser part. To store up riches during times of plenty was the wise way to get through times of want. This was the cycle of life, and would always be.

There were times when she herself hadn’t been wise. Aang too. So she could hardly expect Kya not to make some mistakes along the way.

Using herbs to relax or for spiritual enlightenment was not unusual, and had a long history, and Kya was absolutely right about that. Indeed, Kya was a better herbalist than she was. But to use them casually made Katara afraid, because she did know that unexpected things could happen. Some plants were stronger than others, even within the same species. Overdoses could happen even under carefully controlled conditions. She herself wouldn’t have taken that risk, slight as it might have been.

Then too, it was illegal. She recalled the time that Toph scammed Fire Nation villagers for fun and profit, and she’d been afraid of that risk too. Toph calculated the risks and went ahead. In the end it was true that Combustion Man had laid a trap for them, and that proved Katara right, but she had also missed out on the laughs Sokka and Aang had while they were out with Toph.

What exactly was it that Kya was seeking, anyway? Aang might have had a positive attitude about the pursuit of spiritual experiences: as the Avatar, he was the very bridge between the spirit world and the human world. Yet he was not the only person capable of visiting the spirit world. It was a place of great wonders.

And great dangers.

* * *

Lin sank into a chair at the kitchen table, as the door crashed shut. She broke down in sobs, and Katara moved to comfort her. She’d never seen Lin in tears before. She was so much like her mother, so apparently unbreakable, but with a heart capable of deep love. It was tragic how they’d grown apart all those years ago. She knew they’d reconciled near Zaofu, as Kuvira prepared her spirit weapon that had destroyed so much of Republic City. But it was still a cool relationship between them. Toph was never good at expressing emotion, particularly affection. Lin appeared to be the same, at least in public.

Living with Kya and Lin had shown her how she’d underestimated the Chief of Police. Lin loved Kya as much as Katara loved Aang. When they were together, Lin laughed easily, showered Kya with hugs and kisses, surprised her with gifts, always attentive and helpful in everything. Lin was erudite, stylish, confident, loyal, and strong. She couldn’t have chosen a better partner for her daughter if she’d tried. 

And Kya? That force that drove her to be independent? The wanderlust? Kya loved Lin so much that she stayed with her, the way Katara had stayed with Aang, even as his fame eclipsed everything else in their lives. Because that was for the public: at home, he’d been just like Lin was to Kya. Aang had loved her completely, and she had returned it the same. And Kya had stayed with Katara, because of that same love, that same unchanging energy; enough that it nearly tore Kya to choose between her mother and Lin.

And yet here Lin was, weeping. Lin feared for Kya’s safety as much as Katara did. She knew the risks, from her experience in the streets, and she found them too high.

“She’ll be back,” Katara murmured, holding Lin, stroking her hair. Lin sobbed into her shoulder again. 


	4. The Properties of Herbs

It was another warm autumn day, like yesterday, but today it was harsh. A strong, hot wind blew from the south, and the sun bore down at the wrong angle for summer heat. Everything looked wrong. Leaves and grass were dry and brown, and the street was dusty. The blue of the sky was dusty. Kya squinted as another gust filled her eyes with grit, and she hunched into the breeze, shouldering her bag.

She didn’t really know where she was going. Anger had propelled her out the door. She had walked for hours now, criss-crossing Republic City, headed vaguely toward the docks. Maybe she’d spend the night on the Island with her brothers. Maybe she’d go to the Kyoshi Island club and listen to music for a while, have a few drinks.

It crossed her mind to find someone new to spend the night with; that had happened many times in the past, but the idea seemed far less appealing now. As angry as she’d been, she couldn’t break her promise to Lin. Lin wore her betrothal necklace, and giving that to her still meant as much now as it did then. 

She looked at the ring on her finger. She was so accustomed to it that she didn’t really feel it unless she thought about it. Two koi, one of gold and one of silver, entwined and swimming in opposite directions, held a gem from the Cave of Two Lovers between their tails. They were made with the most clever craftsmanship she’d ever seen, metal bent by Lin’s own skill, infused with love. The ring glittered in a peculiar way in daylight. It was an opalescent milky crystal, tinged with a little blue, but it was just a dull crystal in the sun. If she held it in shadow, it sparkled with its own light.

She loved Lin, desperately. Utterly. She was being ridiculous, a stubborn child. She should just turn around and go home and apologize.

Except she wasn’t wrong.

She knew damned well what she was doing with those herbs. She’d used them dozens of times before; she’d learned how to use them safely decades ago. She’d never overdosed, but she had had some very enlightening experiences. The Minyag people, in their secluded valley, had taught her things that she’d never heard anywhere else, and through their skill with herbs had showed her new methods of meditation that had increased her power to see auras and feel spiritual energy. They  _ never _ overdosed, because they respected the power of the plants they used. They respected life in all its forms, like her dad had. While she lived with them, she wondered if they were not related to the Air Nomads, because their philosophy was so similar to her father’s.

Among the Minyag, it had been called “The Breath of the Phoenix,” because inhaling the smoke of its feathery leaves allowed one to ride on the wings of something mystical into a different understanding of existence. She wasn’t sure if it was a way to enter the spirit world, or simply deeper into one’s own consciousness; that was a question she hoped someday to answer. The Minyag used it to gain insight into difficult situations, and simply accepted the visions for what they were.

However, it was called “Chin’s Beard” in Republic City and the Earth Kingdom because its use had been perverted. They just chewed the seeds found in its beard-shaped silky pods, though this led to much more intense and often negative reactions. Yet people took it, because it made them feel powerful, like Chin the Great. It could be used as a quick-and-dirty booster for a bender’s qi, and their bending would be very forceful for a short time. Non-benders could withstand pain and do feats of agility and strength. Never mind that Chin was a tyrant, and there was a fine line between feeling unusually powerful and the dark hallucinations and side effects. One side effect was becoming highly suggestible and easily led. Many overdosed users had become enforcers for the triads, until they died from heart attacks or strokes, or victims of violence themselves.

Lin was right, as far as that was concerned, and that had been the cause of Kya’s embarrassment. She probably should have told Lin what she’d intended to do, but Lin had reacted exactly as she’d feared. 

Kya had recognized the plant in the summer, soon after they’d moved into the house with its fine garden, and she waited until the fall for the leaves to be mature. She had disposed of the seed pods in the fire before she even began to gather and inhale the smoke from the leaves. Of course she’d left enough seeds on the ground for a new supply next season, but she was reluctant to tell Lin anything about the plant, lest she insist it be removed. That, of course, had come to pass.

Last night, when Lin had been late yet again, and she was...well, bored, honestly… it seemed like the perfect opportunity to use the Breath of the Phoenix. She had always enjoyed the relaxation, and the warm, peaceful emotions of security and love that flowed through her. It was a full moon, too. She was excited to see what visions might come to her.

But last night… last night, she also had a purpose. Some years ago, when she and Bumi and Tenzin had gone into the Spirit World to find Jinora, they’d met General Iroh, the venerable old uncle of Fire Lord Zuko, who’d been granted a place there by the spirits. Then they’d been thrown into a strange and terrifying fog by an offended scorpion-like spirit. In that place, they’d seen Admiral Zhao, who’d led the attack on the Northern Water Tribe decades before. He should have been long dead, but there he was, or at least his spirit. And most importantly, Tenzin had seen their father, and that vision of Aang had been the key for their escape from the fog.

Kya wanted to see her father too, just for a little, to tell him about the joy she’d found with Lin. He’d passed away while she was still travelling, and it was a true regret of hers that she did not see him in his final hours. She knew he was proud of her, that he loved her, and that he knew she loved him. Kya also knew that they had hoped she’d find someone of her own, but that her path was hers to follow, and if she were happy that would be enough.   
  
And so now she longed to tell Dad, at last, that what they’d wanted for her was what she’d found, and that she was happier than she’d ever been. Maybe this time, in this vision, it would happen.

In the end, this was her real reason for keeping and harvesting the leaves of the herb.

Lin’s reaction might have been justified if Kya had been using Chin’s Beard for a cheap thrill, but she wasn’t. She’d ridden the Breath of the Phoenix, and during her vision she was sure she heard her father’s voice. She was on the cusp of telling him about Lin, though she could not see his face, when Lin had called for her.

The rest of the vision, she realized, was the blending of the two worlds; Lin had called for her, had brought her inside and got her to bed. She must have got her clothes soaked in the shower, but Kya did remember the kiss. Lin had wrapped her in warmth and softness, and in total trust she let Lin guide her to sleep.

If Lin had known how close she was, how close to seeing Aang’s face and telling him about the two of them, surely she would never have stopped her.

She was angry that Lin had assumed the worst; she was angry that Lin hadn’t listened to her explanation. She was angry that Mom had sided with Lin. She was angry that her chance to see Dad again was lost until next season. And that made Kya terribly sad.

She headed downtown, toward 32nd and Smellerbee, and the Kyoshi Island women’s club. She might not end up with somebody new, but a couple of drinks and some conversation with some old friends would lift her mood.


	5. A Little Off

Numb, Lin went to work. She took Katara to the docks first, and helped her onto a ferry out to the Air Temple. They spoke little, but it seemed it wasn’t necessary; her tears had washed away whatever distance that had ever been between them. Katara felt like a mother to her now too. It was strange and new, but not unwelcome. 

At the station, she fell into the routine of her job. She called for reports from the precincts around the city. She hadn’t missed the meeting with city planners about road closures. A few detectives needed guidance on some investigations. No unusual crises, but enough to do to keep her mind off the fight with Kya, and her fears at bay. 

Mako sensed that something was up; it was hard to put his finger on what. She wasn’t exactly distracted, but she wasn’t as acerbic as usual. It certainly wasn’t because she was in a good mood, though. He’d seen more of those in the past few months than he’d ever expected, since she’d left with Kya in the spring. She’d come back changed. Less bitter. Not softer, but not so cutting, either. Like she was comfortable. Today she was perhaps a fraction of a smidgen of a bit off her game, taking a little longer to think before making a decision, no barking orders.

Anyway, he was aware that there was something below the surface, so he wasn’t going to break any bad news today. Time to focus on progress. 

He stopped by her office during a pause. 

“Hey Chief!”

“Mako.”

“Hey, I might have a break on the Soong Pak thing.”

“Yeah?”

“Caught one of his mules trying to smuggle contraband in from Ba Sing Se.”

“Anything hard?”

“Some jewels and stolen art. One piece we have for sure will pin at least this guy to the wall. Might be enough to get him to spill on Soong.”

“Nice. Good job.”

It was perverse to think that a compliment from the Chief was an indicator of a problem, but he knew her pretty well. 

“Anything wrong, Chief?”

“No,” she said, curtly, looking down at her desk. She stamped a paper with her chops.

“He also had some Chin’s Beard and a little cactus juice on him too, so he’s gonna want to deal.”

As he was saying this, her hand paused in midair, the piece of jade between her fingers shaking barely perceptibly. Her scowl deepened, and she smashed the jade onto the form on her desk, leaving a blotch of red ink on the paper.

“Nail his ass. I want Soong to fry.”

Mako took the cue. He nodded and hustled out.

At his desk, Bolin asked, “Is the Chief okay?” 

Mako was surprised at his brother’s keen eye. “I don’t know, bro. Things seem off. When I mentioned the drugs Soong’s goon had on him, she kinda had a… moment, I guess.”

“She looks very pale. Should we be worried?” Bolin was very eager to do well at his new job as Mako’s partner, and impressing his girlfriend Opal’s aunt was high on his list.

“She’s not gonna volunteer anything. Just keep your ears and eyes open, like always. We have to take Soong Pak down, so anything that makes that happen will probably help.”

* * *

Lin walked to her car in sheets of rain. The hot wind from earlier had finally brought on a thunderstorm. At least this felt right. The cold needles of water blown hard on a northwest wind struck her face, and she relished the sting. It was better than the lost, empty feeling inside. She was about to head back to an empty house, as cold as her apartment used to be, as lifeless as she felt.

The key turned in the ignition. 

She supposed it was possible that Kya could have come home, but she didn’t really believe it. Lin had come down like a ton of bricks, called her stupid. But it was all born of her fear for Kya’s safety. Kya wasn’t a criminal. That was absurd. The law was the law, yeah, but she’d worked outside the law herself before. No, Kya meant more to her than that.   
  
She should have listened. Kya had been trying to tell her that there was more about this herb than she knew; and she was right. Growing right there in their garden? She’d never have realized it, and it wasn’t there on purpose. Hogmonkeys! What if the press caught wind of that?

But dammit, the things she’d seen! Soong Pak’s thugs mashing in the faces of rival gang members, their bending enhanced to break more bones, but hardly even aware why they were breaking them. Girls so whacked out they didn’t know who they were anymore, seeing invisible monsters, shrieking in terror in the holding cells. Those blank-eyed kids. Maybe they were using it wrong, and yeah, maybe there was a way you could use it more safely, but the risk! What she would give not to have those images in her head!

It was all just a gut reaction to hearing the name of the stuff. Chin’s Beard… the words chilled her blood. Kya exposed to that danger was just too great a risk. What would she do without Kya? How could she go on without her?

Katara… she knew. She’d seen it before. Katara wasn’t angry, but she was afraid. But Katara had also said Kya would be back. She had to trust that Katara was right. What love this mother and daughter shared… it was so different from her own family. She hoped that Katara knew what to do.

The car rounded the last corner, and a couple of blocks farther...there it was… the house. The lights were out, as she’d expected. The hope she didn’t even realize she’d had was already fading. The long night was just starting.


	6. Kindred Spirits Serving Spirits

New eyes were behind the sliding window at Kyoshi Island. “Rabbaroo stew,” she said, this week’s password.

When the door opened, Kya was a little surprised to see that the club was empty. It was midafternoon, and the young woman who’d opened the door shut it carefully behind her, and then moved behind the bar.

“What can I get you?” she said, politely.

“Tok’s out?”

“Yeah, she and Miki are out shopping.”

“I’m sorry… are you closed? I can come back later,” Kya said, apologetically.

“No, please, stay!” the young woman said. “We’re supposed to be open, but it gets dead after lunch sometimes. It’s kinda lonely here.” She dropped her eyes and blushed.

She was lovely, this new one, with very dark brown eyes, skin the color of strong tea in the sunlight, hair black as jet; quite unusual. She appeared to come from the islands to the southwest of the Fire Nation. Kya smiled to herself. Thirty years ago she’d have tried every pickup line she knew and invented a couple more to get to know this girl.

“From the southwest of the Fire Nation?” Kya asked.

She was surprised. “How did you know?”

“Eyes like yours are uncommon this far north. They’re very beautiful.”

She blushed again. “I’m new here.”

Kya put her hand out to shake. “I’m Kya. Southern Water Tribe. Sorta.”

“Jaidara,” the woman replied. “Sorta?”

“My father was an airbender.”

Her beautiful eyes widened. “The Avatar?”

Kya smiled, and wondered if the wrinkles in the corners of her eyes were very visible. She was way too old to be flirting with a woman this young. And anyway… the image of Lin came into her mind, unbidden.

“So Tok and Miki trusted you with the club,” she said, settling onto a barstool, trying to find a safe subject. “You must be pretty good.”

“They’re both so kind,” Jaidara said. “I came to Republic City with nothing, and they gave me a chance.”

“That’s what they do, those two. They’ve been helping out young girls like you since I was your age.”

There it was. _My age,_ she thought. _Age is just a number, right? A state of mind?_

“How did you come to be here?” Kya asked.

“My family was displaced. They built an iron smeltery near my village. It ruined the water supply and we had to leave or starve. My sister and mother and I came here to Republic City because we heard there were good jobs here. They found jobs right away, but factory work isn’t for me,” she said, with a wistful look.

“What is it you want to do?”

“I’d like… well, it’s kind of silly…” Jaidara blushed yet again.

“I can appreciate the desire to live life differently. What is it?” Kya asked, encouragingly. It was what she’d always done.

“I want to make movers. Is that silly?”

“Of course not! An actress? Oh, that would be wonderful! You’re so beautiful!”

Jaidara looked up at her, a little disappointed. “No, as a writer. I want to make movers about the stories I write.”

It was Kya’s turn to blush. “I’m sorry… I didn’t realize.”

Jaidara made nervous circles on the bar with a washcloth, polishing the old wood to a high shine. “That’s what everyone says. Especially men. But there’s more to me than just how I look,” she said.

“I’m sorry I misjudged you. I know what that’s like. But I did a lot of travelling when I was your age, to learn about the world, you know, and just… _experience_ things. My brothers said I was searching for myself. They didn’t take me seriously. Nobody did.” _Until Lin._

“That must have been fascinating,” Jaidara said. “I’d love to be able to do that!”

“So do it!” Kya said. “Don’t let anything stop you!” She leaned in. “Think of the things you could write about! This world is amazing, and you’ll find people you never heard of, and do things nobody you know has even thought about.”

“Weren’t you afraid to leave your family? Wasn’t it scary to be on your own?”

“Terrifying, sometimes. But you know, the reward is almost always worth the risk.” Kya paused, realizing what she’d just said. “It turns out, everywhere you go, most people are kind and generous. Some aren’t, of course, but so I learned to think fast and run faster. And I’m here today as proof.”

They heard thumping and bumping in the back room, and Tok pushed through the door from the kitchen with a grin. “Kya!”

“Hey, Tok! Nice to see you!”

“Now, Jai, honey, I have a little tip for you… you’d make a fantastic bartender if you’d actually sell some drinks before you listen to the customers’ sob stories.” She poured a glass of something stiff for Kya, and pushed it in front of her. Tok winked at Kya.

“This is a special lady you have working for you, Tok,” Kya said. “I wish I were thirty years younger!”

“Pssht! You’ve got nothin’ to complain about, Kya, with Lin at home. Stop filling the kid’s head with crazy ideas!”

“She’s a kindred spirit,” Kya retorted. “A kindred _free_ spirit! Soon to travel the world, just like me!”

“Aww no! We just got her trained! How are we going to find another this good?”

Jaidara blushed and shuffled her feet, but smiled widely.

“Is that why you have such a big bag? Are you about to leave on an adventure somewhere?” Jaidara asked.

Tok leaned over the bar and looked down at Kya’s traveling bag. “Trouble in paradise?” she asked, concerned.

“Lin and I had a… disagreement.”

“Oh, honey. Don’t worry about it. Fights happen. You still love her, right? Go home. Kiss and make up. Whatever it is, you two can work it out. Jai, c’mere… Kya, show her the ring.”

Jaidara came close and Kya put her hand out for inspection.

“That’s… extraordinary. I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said, in a hushed voice.

“Lin’s a metalbender,” Tok said proudly, as though Lin were her own. “And the only woman who’s ever got this free spirit here to stick around. It’s a real love story, these two.”

Kya rolled her eyes, smiling. “Okay, Tok, that’ll do.”

“Jai, honey. Go help Miki unload the truck, would ya?”

Jai gracefully and graciously disappeared.

Tok poured herself a shot to match Kya’s. “You wanna talk about it?”

“Not much left to talk about.”

“You guys never fight.”

“No. Not really.”

“It happens, y'know, to everybody. Part of the deal. Miki and me have gone around a few times too. But you gotta keep talking.”

Kya downed her glass, and pushed it forward, and Tok silently refilled it.

“It’s one of those things… where we’re both right.”

Tok mulled this over. “Those are the worst.”

Kya sighed.

“She’s so… driven. I mean, it’s work all the time! I know I knew this all along, but damn! I’m home, waiting, and I get lonely sometimes. Bored. You know?”

Tok nodded.

Kya lifted her glass. “It isn’t any more dangerous than this stuff, right here. But if you drink too much, it’s a problem, right?”

Tok frowned a bit. “Yeah…” she said, skeptically.

“That’s ILLEGAL!’” Kya said, in mocking voice. “‘It’s DANGEROUS!’”

“Well, now…”

“What, you too?” Kya said, annoyed.

“Hang on there, girlie,” Tok held up a hand to stop her. “I have a rough idea what you’re on about. Look. Lin’s just looking out for you. You prolly scared her somehow, with whatever it was you were up to…. Now, don’t you give me that face. Listen a minute before you stomp out of here too.”

Kya slumped, her chin in her hand, elbow on the bar.

“A little something to ease the pain… I get it. It’s not like I’ve never had any, every now and again. Sometimes they’re just the thing. I get it. If youda told me you were gonna enjoy some recreational herbs, I mighta joined you, even. No, they’re not all dangerous, any more than this…” she lifted the glass, “if you’re smart about using ’em. But if Lin’s got a problem with it, then you gotta hear her out.”

Kya closed her eyes and sighed again.

“Kya… Kya honey. You and I go way back, don’t we?”

“Yeah,” she said.

“And all that time, you’ve been the happiest girl I knew. Well, besides me and Miki.”

Kya gave half a snort.

“But all that time, from then to now? I never saw you more happy than since Lin and you got together. You and she don’t see this thing the same way. That’s okay. But I know that lady _loves_ you. Like crazy. If she’s all ticked off about it, it’s because she’s really _afraid_ for you. Hear her out. Prolly she’s gonna seem hoppin’ mad at first, but that’s always how it is when you’re scared, huh? Y’know?”

“I do. Yeah.”

“Ride out the storm. I know you’re a good sailor.” Tok winked. “Then you put the sails back up, and you go on.”

“But I’m not wrong. You know that.”

“Look, I know you need a little time to cool off yourself. Stay here. It’s okay. I’ll run you a tab.” She winked again.

“All right, all right... “ Kya said, with a small smile. “You got anything to eat back there?”

“HEY MIKI! WE GOT ANYTHING TO EAT BACK THERE?”

Miki’s voice came back, muffled, but clearly irritated. “Gimme a minute!”

“She’s a little peeved at me today too… I kinda took a corner a little fast and nearly tipped the truck. Scared the daylights outta both of us. I laughed it off, but she’s taking a little longer to calm down.” She grinned. “HEY MIKI! I LOVE YOU!”

It was quiet a long moment.

“I love you too,” Miki’s voice came through the door.

“See? Just gotta keep talking.”

* * *

It wasn’t much longer before the early-bird dinner crowd started to show up. These were older women, roughly Katara’s age, who’d been members of Kyoshi Island since before the club had a name. Some were couples who’d been together for decades. They all knew Kya, and were delighted to see her, asking many questions. She happily played a couple of rounds of pai sho with a few.

There was a surge after the factory shifts were over, and several friends arrived. Kya found herself deflecting questions about where Lin might be; “still at work” elicited sympathy, so she stuck with that.

Outside, a peal of thunder signaled the start of a storm. _It’s time to go home,_ she thought. She imagined Lin coming back to a dark, empty house—surely she’d taken Mom out to the Island today—and Kya saw things from Lin’s perspective. Suddenly it didn’t matter who was right. If she was angry, so be it; as long as Lin still loved her after all.

Tok was busy at the bar, so she waved at Jaidara, to pay her tab. “I’m headed home. Tell Tok and Miki thanks for everything… and you too! I hope you stick around a little while longer. I’d love to talk.”

Jaidara nodded. “I’d love to listen!”

She left, and the chill with the rain told her winter was on its way. Pulling a coat from the bag, she climbed the stairs outside the heavy iron door, up onto the sidewalk, out to the lights, and hailed a cab.


	7. Flying Free

Katara had never liked the giant statue of Aang on top of that Island. It looked like him, but didn’t. The statue didn’t have a smile. He wouldn’t have stood for it during his lifetime, but once he was gone they wanted to honor him.  _ You can’t not let them honor him, _ she’d thought then,  _ but he wouldn’t have liked it either. _

And anyway, all it did was remind her that he wasn’t there anymore. It was one of the reasons she’d moved down to the South Pole right after he passed away.

Her favorite places on Air Temple Island were where she couldn’t quite see the statue. The veranda that looked down on the practice field had a roof. In most weather it was the perfect spot, to look out over the sea. Today it was choppy, and the hot weather was going to give way to rain soon. She kept most of the aches and pains of age at bay by practicing her bending forms every day, but it was impossible not to feel a twinge each time the weather changed.

“All right, Mom,” Bumi said, as he strolled up to her. “Turn the frown upside down. What’s the matter?”

“I’m just in a little funk, I guess,” Katara replied. “Missing your father.”

“Aww, Mom. I’m sorry. I miss him too. But hey, he’s still here,” he said, as he stooped and wrapped his arms around her. “Love doesn’t leave, it just changes.”

“Thanks, Bumi,” she said. “You’re right. I just wish he was around sometimes to help me figure things out.”

“Hmm. I thought you had  _ everything _ figured out, Mom! You’re the smartest person I know!”

“I wish that were true,” she said, with a smile.

“Y’know, what you need is adventure!” he said. “That’ll cheer you up!”

“I don’t know, Bumi. At my age…”

“Age is just a number! It’s a state of mind! C’mon! Let’s go do something! Wanna go bison racing?”

Katara couldn’t suppress a laugh. “Honestly? That sounds like a great idea! But we better hurry before the rain starts.”

“Rain? There aren’t any clouds!”

“I do have  _ some _ things figured out, Bumi,” she replied, a sly look in her eyes.

They proceeded to the stables and selected two fine young sky bisons, neither of which had chosen an airbender of their own (to make it fair). Bumi pointed out a number of spots on the city skyline: the President’s office; around Harmony Tower and the Turtleduck boat pond (descending far enough to scoop up a bucket of water - by hand, to make it fair); the Pro-bending arena; Police Headquarters; and a loop around the new Portal before returning.

Some of the new airbenders and Tenzin’s children were caught up in the excitement, and Jinora agreed to wave the flag to start and finish the race.

“To the winner, glory and honor!” he announced loudly.

“You better hang on to your saddle, son,” Katara said, her eyes glinting. “No airbending.”

“Aww Mom! You think I’d cheat?”

“Just fair warning… you airbend, I waterbend.”

“Go Grandma!” Ikki shouted, Jinora dropped a cloth, and they were off!

The bisons each responded to the “Yip! Yip!” of their riders, and rose into the sky. At first they seemed in no hurry, but as they moved out toward Republic City the spectators back on the island could see they were picking up speed.

The two bison seemed to sense they were competing with each other, and flew as fast as they were able. Katara felt the wind in her face as she hadn’t in years. Aches were forgotten as she leaned forward, bending down to become aerodynamic with the bison, and she clung tight when it curved toward the President’s office, navigating the canyons of city buildings and spirit vines. She was the first to twang the lightning rod atop the building, and in an instant was off toward Harmony Tower.

She heard Bumi encouraging his steed, just a short distance behind her. Katara barrel-rolled through the middle of the girders of Harmony Tower, even as Bumi swerved to go around it, and she grinned wickedly as she heard his dismayed “Hey!” She pulled back hard on the reins as they approached the surface of the pond, and with a graceful flick of the wrist scooped up a full bucket. A snap of the reins, and they were speeding aloft toward the Arena.

Bumi was further behind now, pleading with his bison to go faster. Katara leaned and stretched to ping one of the lights on top of its four majestic corner towers, as the bison was already curving toward the second. She made a tight loop above the roof of the building and hit the other three, and her son saw the fire in her eyes as she passed him going the other way.

She laughed when she heard him beg the bison to “put a little sauce on it,” because “this is embarrassing!”

Again, winding through the buildings, turbulence lifting awnings over storefronts and blowing the hats off startled pedestrians, the two made their way toward Police Headquarters. Evidently “a little sauce” must have inspired the young bison, because it was inching closer and closer to Katara and her charger.

They arrived at the plaza neck-and-neck, each stretching to be the first to boop the nose on the statue of Toph above the main doors, and it was hard to say who was first. Yet they peeled away without pausing, now headed for the column of light at the city center, to circle it and enter into the home stretch.

As they neared it, Katara noticed movement down in the vines near the portal. She called over to Bumi, “No one’s allowed down there, are they?” She pulled the reins to cause her bison to dive in the direction of the movement.

Bumi hadn’t quite heard her, but saw her dive, and his eyes went to where she was headed. 

“Mom, no!” he shouted.

The figure on the ground launched a ball of flame up towards Katara. She blocked it with the water from her bucket. Bumi, meanwhile, blasted the figure with air, and the firebender tumbled away. 

Katara was ready to fight; she neared the ground and leapt off her bison, landing deftly in the stance for bending. Bumi landed in between her and the firebender, who had regained their feet. The firebender stepped backwards a distance and sent another burst of fire at them, which Bumi dissipated with a whirlwind. Then the firebender turned and bolted away, toward the edge of the crater. Bumi blasted himself up into the air and onto the bison hovering nearby, and gave chase.

As this was happening, Katara found nearby the police officer who’d been guarding the portal, down on the ground. He was suffering from multiple burns. She drew water from the vial on her belt, which originally contained water from the spirit oasis after the siege of the Northern Water Tribe, and tended to his worst wounds. 

Bumi returned not long after; he’d chased until he lost the firebender around a corner, when concern for his mother had overwhelmed him. 

“Mom! Are you all right?”

“Bumi, get help, right away. The portal’s unguarded now. Go tell the police.” 

Thunder rolled. “Don’t worry about me," she insisted. "In a few minutes I’ll have enough water to hold off an army.”

Bumi flew away. Droplets of cold rain fell, and she used the water to treat some of the less serious burns on the young man before her.  

She was invigorated. Years had fallen away from her. The sadness she’d been feeling lifted, and she remembered that she was, as Master Pakku had named her, the Mighty Katara.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> edit 11-11-17
> 
> I was looking at images of Air Temple Island, and didn't remember that the statue of Aang was actually on a separate island. So I changed "on top of the island" to "on top of that island", and "her favorite places on the island" to "her favorite places on Air Temple Island"
> 
> Visual memory is a funny thing, and not always accurate.


	8. The Fruits of His Labors

An opulent room, with marble walls and columns, whose enormous windows with their many panes looked out over the city, and flooded the room with light. Satin-covered cushions on a huge dais across from the large wooden double doors, with shining brass fittings. A bar, well stocked with top-shelf liquors. Polished desk with a glass top, and a deep, rich leather chair. A lamp of bright brass, its shade made of cut glass in a rainbow of colors. Even the pen was precision made, and he pulled a stroke of black ink across the white cottony paper, the first stroke in the characters of his name.

This was what it was like to arrive. Finally. It took a lot of skill and shrewdness and hard work to make his way up to this echelon, this class of people. Now they were going to work for him. Once you got past a certain point, the money made itself, and you could sit back and relax and enjoy the fruits of your labors. 

Suckers worked for a living. Stupid suckers. He was done with that.

_ Speaking of fruits, _ he thought, as a young woman came into the room from a door in the back corner, carrying a plate of cool, fresh-cut melons and berries. The girl was damned sweet, too.  _ Tight dress, nice ass, long legs. Yeah. _

He stood up from the desk, and sauntered over to her, taking a piece and enjoying the juicy tidbit. Tailored silk suit, custom-made shoes.  _ Don’t get any stains, or you’ll look like the rube you used to be. _

“Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?” she asked.

He gave her a wink. “Sure, sweetness. I’m stressed. Gimme a massage.” Spirits, he loved it when people called him “sir.”

She went behind and took the jacket from his shoulders, and he strutted forward towards the cushions. When he got there, she unbuttoned his shirt for him, and he spread his arms for her to take it off. 

He took off his trousers as she went back across the room to lock the doors.

She returned, and pulling her own dress off, straddled him as he lay on his front on the massive pile of cushions. She first oiled and then kneaded his shoulders, and he groaned appreciatively. He was hardly stressed, but putting on the show never hurt. She worked his neck and back first, then his arms. 

As she moved lower, to reach his lower back and buttocks, she asked, in a shy voice, “Sir?”

“Yeah?”

“Would it be possible… I mean… could you… give me more of those seeds?”

He grinned, facing the pillows.

“Well now,” he said, feigning seriousness. “You gotta be careful with those. They can really mess you up, if you take too many, or too often. And I don’t wanna even tell you what they cost.”

“I know, sir,” she said, softly.

“I like you, kiddo,” he said. “Go grab my trousers over there.” 

She stood, gracefully, and made her way across the pillows to the hard marble floor. Then he fished in the pocket for a brass cylinder. Unscrewing the top, he shook four round brown seeds onto his palm, and offered them to her.

She quickly pushed them from her hand into her mouth and crunched, wincing at the bitter flavor. Then she resumed working his muscles.

He enjoyed the rest of this massage thoroughly. After she’d completed his feet, she sat on her haunches, silently. The seeds were having their effect.

“Come on, kiddo,” he said, rolling over and gesturing for her to move up a bit. He took her hand and guided it to himself. “Massage this.”


	9. When She Returns

Lin awoke with a start, disoriented. She was on the sofa, but felt lost. She didn’t recognize the room she was in.

Rain drummed gently on the roof. Other than that, the place was silent as a mausoleum. It took a second more before she realized this was her house, not the apartment where she used to live. There were no sounds of the city.

She turned to sit up, and the side of her hand bumped a bottle of whiskey on the side table, nearly knocking it over. 

She leaned back, and stared at the ceiling. Drinking herself to sleep wasn’t going to work. Mom would have called it a cheap trick anyway. Just face it, she’d have said. Head on, no fancy tricks. Like an earthbender. Rock-like.

But what was there to face now? Kya was gone, and Lin was alone, and she had not the first idea what to do; it was as if she’d forgotten what life was like before they’d come together. She couldn’t imagine the future without her. All her dreams and plans included Kya.

She looked about the living room in a sort of loose despair. There was nothing to see. They were just shapes. Just inanimate things. 

Emotions that had been shoved aside all day finally smashed into her like a truck driving into a wall, and she struggled for breath. She curled into herself, protecting her chest though the agony was already there inside her, crushing her lungs. Her heart beat painfully, fast and loud, and the sound of her rushing blood was in her ears. Her arms and legs trembled. Her hands shook so that she had to clasp them together, and she felt a wave of cold sweep over her. 

Everything outside her seemed to be receding into darkness. Lin was terrified. What was happening? Was she dying?

She heard a key scraping in the lock of the front door, and fought to release her clenched muscles. Freezing but soaked with sweat, she looked with anguish at the door as it opened.

Kya came in, tossed her bag over to the floor near the coat rack, and stepped inside.

Lin gasped again, and Kya suddenly turned to look. Glinting in the darkness, she saw Lin’s eyes wide with panic.

In two steps Kya bounded across the room, and was there, on the sofa, examining her, checking her pulse, embracing her, rocking her.

“I’m here, I’m here. Relax. Breathe. Oh, Lin, breathe. It’s okay, I’m here.” They stayed there, Lin half in her lap, until the gasping eased, and she was able to pull a full breath. All the while Kya kept her cheek on the top of Lin’s head, arms around her, feeling the softness of her hair and the tremors that passed through her body.

Her breathing slowed, and she slipped her own arms around Kya, to hold her tightly. She began to cry, soft sobs, rolling tears.

Kya loosened her embrace, and moved to take off her boots. She stretched herself out on the cushions of the sofa, pulling Lin to have her lay on top, Lin’s cheek on Kya’s breast, Lin’s body between Kya’s knees. 

“Rest,” she said. “I’m here.”

* * *

 

Lin waited cross-legged in the center of the bed, illuminated by the light from the bathroom.

Kya emerged, drying her hair. She sat on the edge of the bed. 

Lin reached a hand out for her; Kya leaned and took it, and gently kissed her fingers. 

They paused, and looked at each other, silently, holding hands.

“I’m sorry,” Kya said.

“I’m sorry too.”

“We need to talk about this.”

“Yes.”

Neither spoke.

“I don’t know how to start,” Lin admitted.

“We could do this in the morning,” Kya said. 

“We could,” Lin agreed.

They did not break their gaze. 

“Kya, I…”

“I never loved anyone like you before,” Kya interrupted. “Never.”

“I didn’t know if you’d come back.” Lin said, her throat tight. “I didn’t know what to do, because everything I had planned for the future… included you.”

Kya moved closer, close enough to brush Lin’s cheek with the back of her hand. Fingers entered Lin’s hair, came around to the back of her neck. She leaned, and pulled, and their mouths met in a soft kiss. 

“Let’s talk about it in the morning,” Kya said, when they paused.

Kya stretched out on the bed, her hands behind her head, and Lin lay down too, rolling onto her side to face her. Her hand reached out, and she placed it lightly on Kya’s chest. Moving her arm underneath Lin’s head, she curled it and drew Lin closer to her, resting Lin’s head on her shoulder. They still kept their eyes locked on each other.

“You’re everything to me,” Lin said. “I don’t want to lose you.”

* * *

Morning was grey. It was cool in the house, and they hadn’t slept well. 

Finally, Lin got up. She went to the kitchen and started the kettle. 

Kya followed soon after, and watched Lin take out the teacups and the tea, efficient and methodical. It wasn’t often that they were awake at the same time, but every time, she made the tea exactly the same way. 

She and Lin were just different. Some might have said opposites; she knew they were complementary. But those points where they were different… sometimes they were extreme.

How was it that they’d managed to stay together even this long? More than a year, almost two… Kya had never managed a relationship longer than a few weeks. This was the first real love for either, and there was still so much she didn’t know how to handle.

Life was so full of so many lessons. How could anyone hope to learn them all?

“So,” Lin said, sitting down next to her.

“So,” she replied.

Silence surrounded them. The tea steamed in their cups.

“So when I came home two nights ago,” Lin said, at last, “I didn’t know what to think. I thought you were sick, or that a spirit had possessed you. I was worried. But I did manage to get you to bed, and even though I had a hard time sleeping, I realized eventually that you’d be all right.”

“Lin, I…”

“No, let me finish,” Lin said, clearly making an effort to stay calm. “But when I heard that the reason you were acting so strange was because of taking Chin’s Beard, I feared the worst. I’ve seen terrible, terrible things because of it. I’ve seen and heard things I want to forget but can’t.”

She swallowed. “I know you’re not a criminal. I know you’re not stupid, and I’m sorry I said you did a stupid thing. But I don’t understand why. It’s so dangerous, and does such awful things. I don’t understand why you’d do that to yourself.”

She stopped, and now her eyes were focused on her hands, unable to look at Kya.

Kya opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Lin added, “But what I really don’t understand, now, is why you already had a bag packed and were ready to leave me.”

This wasn’t a question Kya had prepared herself to answer. Shame and fear swelled up, closing her throat.

“I’ve always... I never.. I...I don’t know. I don’t know.”

Lin touched the betrothal necklace on her throat. “‘A promise for life,’ you said. Promising what? To love me, but not to stay.”

Tears stung Kya’s eyes and spilled.

“But that’s what I meant! I meant that I wanted to stay with you!”

“And then you left.” 

“I’m sorry! I just… I didn’t think I’d ever use it!”

“What difference does that make? You had it. You don’t trust me.”

Kya exploded. “Oh, you mean like you didn’t trust me yesterday? You didn’t hear a damned word I said! I told you again and again that I knew what I was doing. No! I didn’t trust you. I knew that you’d react exactly the way you did, and I didn’t wanna hear it.”

“So what else did you keep from me, then?” Her eyes were still fixed on her hands, on the table. They were flat, but she pressed them hard against the surface.

Kya rose and strode toward the door. 

“Will you come back this time?” Lin’s voice was bitter, but wavered.

_ “Hear her out. Prolly she’s gonna seem hoppin’ mad at first, but that’s always how it is when you’re scared, huh?” _

_ She’s afraid. I’m afraid. _

Kya halted halfway through the room. She turned around and came back to Lin, and dropped onto her knees by her, reaching out. Lin took her in her arms. They clung to each other.

She wept, “Lin! Lin, what are we going to do? I don’t know! I always run away!”

Lin held her tighter. 

“I need you,” Kya said, muffled. Her face was buried in Lin’s collar.

“Let’s just… let’s just… let it go… for now,” she said, between sobs. “Put it behind us. You’re here now. You didn’t leave. You came back.”

* * *

They made love, gently, slowly, taking the time to trace fingers over skin, to reacquaint themselves with the softness of each other, noting bumps and wrinkles, moles and scars.

She was everything to Lin. Those wrinkles by her eyes and the creases by her mouth were what made Kya beautiful. Her silver hair was her treasure. Her body, though fit, was also weathered, and there were places where she sagged. There, where her arm fit into her shoulder… Lin kissed there. Kya was real, imperfect, human. 

Lin suddenly remembered her own words, the night she’d given Kya the key to her apartment: “I hope that you’ll always come back to me.” And she had. Even when it was hard, when she knew she had to deal with Lin’s anger, her damaged trust.

“I broke my promise,” Lin said.

“How?”

“I said it would be wrong to try to hold you down. Your free spirit.”

Kya closed her eyes. Lin touched her cheek, drew a finger down it, along her chin.

“I was thinking, as I came home, before I found you in the water, that the magic of that promise was that you did stay. I expected you to be waiting for me.”

“Staying with you isn’t a burden on me, Lin,” she murmured. 

They listened to each other breathing.

“Can I tell you about my vision?”

Fear had overwhelmed Lin that morning, and the pain of Kya’s leaving had driven what she'd said about the vision from her mind.

“Tell me.”

“I was in an open place, full of light. Everything was golden. I was… I was looking for Dad. Tenzin saw him in the fog in the Spirit World, so I hoped I would be able to find him too.”

“You were in the Spirit World?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. I think it was just my own vision. Anyway, I was sure I’d heard his voice, but I couldn’t see him. But Lin, I wanted to tell him about you. That’s all I wanted, was to tell him how much I loved you. That’s all they wanted for me, was to find somebody to love, and I was going to tell him it was you.” Kya’s lower lip trembled, and again her tears fell. 

Lin shut her eyes tight. If she had just listened, instead of reacting so harshly, all this pain could have been joy instead.

She felt Kya’s hand, her thumb smoothing the lines on her own forehead. 

“I remember your voice, and trying to see you. I was so happy that you were there. I couldn’t see you, but I knew you were taking care of me, and I trusted you to keep me safe.” She breathed, a long slow sigh. “I still do.”

Lin’s eyes opened. 

“I was wrong to keep the bag packed. That was from when I was running all the time. I didn’t need it, and I didn’t think I’d ever use it. But yeah, it was there. I’m so, so sorry.” Her voice was strained and low, and she broke and shook, shutting her own eyes hard against the ache.

Lin pulled her close.

“Oh, Kya,” she whispered. 

* * *

“Do you want to go out to the Island tonight for dinner? I should check up on Mom,” Kya asked, as Lin was driving her to the clinic before going on to headquarters. It was late morning already. 

Lin was not fond of Air Temple Island. Children. Tenzin’s stuffiness. Bumi’s… ridiculousness. Korra being Korra, unless Asami was there, and even then. Ugh. Pema. 

“One more night, just you and me? Kwong’s?”

“Tempting,” Kya admitted. “But I do need to see Mom. I owe her some apologies too. I promise we can keep dinner short.”

“I just realized… do you know any good private places out on the Island?”

“Are you kidding?” Kya laughed. “Oh, my! Now I’ve got some ideas!”

Kya’s laugh was the perfect balm for a bruised heart. Lin smiled. “I’ll agree to dinner on the Island if you show me some of your secret hiding places afterward.”

“You show me yours and I’ll show you mine,” she teased.

“You know all of mine,” Lin said, starting to blush. Her body’s reaction was instant, and she shifted uncomfortably on the seat. “Oh great. Now I have to go to work.” 

“Aww, poor Lin! Don’t work late!” Kya said with a wink, as she climbed out of the squad car.


	10. Detectives

“It’s like he’s a freaking spirit!” Mako said, annoyed, as he and Bolin left the interview room.

“Ooo! Maybe he is! A shapeshifter!” Bolin paused, thinking. “You don’t really think he’s a shapeshifting spirit, do you?” He looked over his shoulder, now nervous.

“Naw, bro,” Mako said reassuringly. “I’m pretty sure Soong Pak is just a guy. But it’s so frustrating that we don’t have a good idea what he looks like, or where he is. Every one of these goons we catch gives us a different description, and it’s just… weird. They’re all more than ready to roll on the guy, but they’re all convinced about what he looks like, too, and none of those descriptions line up. It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Could there be more than one?”

“More than one Soong Pak? I suppose there could be, but they’re all doing the same dirty work with the same M.O. That’d be a really big coincidence to have more than one.”

He flopped into his desk chair, and arranged his notes. “Mostly trying to fence medium- to high-priced stolen items, carrying illegal substances, mostly Chin’s Beard and cactus juice. Some of it originates in Ba Sing Se, some from Gaoling. All of it comes in inside legal shipments of fruits and vegetables. Doesn’t seem like much is flowing out of Republic City, though.”

“Are all the trucks the same?”

“No. Bunch of different companies.” Mako sighed. “I hoped this last mule we picked up would have some new info, but it’s just the same thing.”

Bolin stroked his chin. “Even Varrick’s?”

Mako paused. He flipped through his papers. “Actually, no! Varrick’s trucks and ships are never involved. But where does that get us?”

“What about Future Industries?”

“You can’t think Asami’s involved!”

“Oh, no!” Bolin said, shocked. “I’m just trying to take some names off the list. Who’s buying the fruit, anyway?”

“Doctor… Hao An. Has a restaurant just opened, airbender and vegetarian stuff. Up until the restaurant opened, he was working at the same clinic as Kya.”

“Well let’s go talk to him!”

“He’s not the only one… just the latest. Let’s see. Various restaurants… Kwong’s, Song’s… the pricey ones, it looks like..a few others. There’s this one called the Kyoshi Island Women’s club. The Chief told me not to bother them, because she’s friends with the owners.”

“The Chief has friends?” Bolin asked.

Mako’s eyes widened in terror. Bolin suddenly realized why.

“...thaa-aaat… own… a… club? How fascinating? Should we try it for dinner sometime?”

“It’s a women’s club,” Chief Beifong said, flatly. “You aren’t allowed in.”

“Oh! Chief! Good morning! Afternoon! Morning! Hi. How are you? Hi!” Bolin spun up out of his seat and stood, saluting. “No! Of course not! How silly of me! Women’s club! Yes, yes of course!”

She put her nose so close to his he could see the pores. “And if you tried, I would be delighted to arrest you for trespassing,” she growled. “Find another angle. This one ain’t it.”

She turned on her heel and stalked to her office, but Mako was almost certain the movement of her shoulders meant she was laughing. He let go of his breath in a long whistle.

“Bro! Welcome back from the dead!” he said, unable to contain his own laughter.

Bolin sank back into his chair, and put his face in his hands. “Dead? Opal’s gonna kill me…”

* * *

None of the officers needed any special bending sense to feel the vibrations when the Chief shouted “She WHAT!?!” from her office.

Mako gestured, palms downward, for her to calm down. “We had one officer down on the outside of the portal, and she happened to be flying by on a bison with Bumi, and she saw movement, so she went down to check it out. There was a firebender there, but she stopped him, and then Bumi chased him out of the crater and into town, but lost him. So she stopped to take care of Officer Ong, and Bumi came and got us to go cover the situation. Officer Eun was knocked out inside the portal, and didn’t see anything.”

Lin was agog. Katara? At her age? Fighting? She hadn’t seen anything like it since… well… she couldn’t remember. Not since she was young, anyway. She sat down, her mouth hanging open.

“And so when you got there?”

“There were four other guys she’d frozen down onto the vines by the time we got there. It  _ was _ raining, so she had the advantage.” Mako shrugged.

“Ha!” Lin blurted. “The advantage!” She laughed, loud and long.

Mako shuffled his feet. The Chief laughing was just… weird.

“You’re such a kid, Mako,” she said, when she’d regained her composure. “Don’t forget that besides being an extraordinary healer, Katara is a master of all waterbending styles. ALL of them. Including Foggy Swamp style. It was raining, and these dimwits took on the greatest waterbender in the world.”

“But Korra…”

“... is the Avatar. That means she can master all the elements, but that doesn’t make her the best at any one of them. A master, but not THE master.” 

She looked at him sharply. “You better remember that being older doesn’t necessarily make you weak. I could give the Avatar a run for her money with metalbending, too.”

“I didn’t mean…”

“No. But when you’re running an investigation, you can’t let yourself get stuck in your own ideas about who can do what. Soong Pak may be a punk kid, for all we know. Or a woman. Until we get something solid on Pak, we’re looking at everyone and everything with a connection.”

“All right, Chief.”

“Now, this portal business. We have four chumps thawing out in holding. Take a few minutes to find out what they were doing there.”

“Sure thing.”

“And we’re going to need to increase the number of officers guarding it, in the short term. Do we have any available?”

“I’ll go over the schedules and see who we can spare.”

“Right. Now go check on your brother. See if he needs a new pair of shorts.” She chuckled to herself, and began stamping papers.

* * *

“Rabbaroo stew,” Lin said, feeling silly.

The door opened to the club, and she entered. It was strange to be here at midday, without Kya. She’d never been here alone.

She went to the bar but didn’t sit. Tok came out of the kitchen and did a double-take when she saw Lin, but then she settled into her usual giant grin.

“Lin! What a surprise! C’mon, have a seat! I’ll pour you a tall one!”

“I’m sorry, Tok. I’m on police business, I’m afraid.”

“Oh dear. Well, how can I help?”

“Your fruit and vegetable deliveries. You notice anything strange about the driver?”

“Well now… interesting you should say that. Two weeks ago I told ‘em to stop delivering and I’d pick up our order ourselves. The last guy they had creeped me out somethin’ awful.”

“What company was it? What was his name?”

“Hanjin Limited… the driver was only around maybe three times before we quit him, so I don’t think I remember the name. Miki!?” she hollered to the back.

“What was it about him that made you change?”

“He had this glazed look in his eyes, like he was half asleep. Either that, or he was busy hitting on our new girl… big no-no. I just didn’t like the look of the guy, one bit.”

Miki arrived up front. “Lin! Hello!”

“Miki. Good afternoon. Can I ask you about the vegetable delivery driver?”

Miki shuddered. “That guy was spooky. Plus he wouldn’t leave Jai alone.”

“Jai?” Lin asked.

“Our new girl, Jaidara,” Tok said, shaking her head. “She’s supposed to be here now, but I haven’t seen her today. I hope she didn’t up and quit. She was good.”

Lin was alert now. “Do you think she was interested in him?”

“No, I don’t,” Miki said. “She got the heeby-jeebies from him too. But he kept trying to give her things. I think the last time he was here she took something, just to get him off her back.”

“What was it?”

“She didn’t say. She just asked if we could get a new driver, and Tok said she knew how to drive a truck, and it was a nice way for her ’n’ me to get out of the bar for a little bit once in a while, since we knew Jai could cover. So we cancelled the delivery service that day.”

“When was the last time you saw her?”

“Yesterday,” Tok said. “When Kya was here.”

Lin paused. Of course Kya had come here. She’d come to talk to her friends. Maybe Bolin was right.

“You okay, Chief?” Tok asked. “I mean, I know you and Kya had a little…”

“It’s fine now,” Lin answered. “Really.”

“I knew it,” she beamed. “I told her to go kiss and make up.” She winked.

Lin was taken aback. Did she have Tok to thank for Kya’s return? “I… I appreciate that, Tukkatok. Thank you.”

“So formal! Listen, honey, I gotta tell ya... Kya’s always been a happy-go-lucky kinda girl, and she’d never hurt anybody that didn’t oughta be knocked down. But since you came along? That lady’s like the sunshine! Never seen her so happy since you two took up. Miki ’n’ me have been together a long time, and we know it gets rough once in a while, but you can make it if you just keep talking. That’s what I told Kya too. Just keep talking.”

“I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

“Any time, honey. You ’n’ Kya are our friends! We want you to be happy too!”

Tok stuck out her hand, and Lin took it, and Tok clasped it with both. She gave a good shake, and then let go.

“Now, I s’pose you gotta go fight crime, but remember Nuying’s quintet is playing this weekend. You two be sure to come and listen, all right?”

“I’ll be here,” Lin said, pleased. She remembered her task. “If you hear from Jaidara, please call me.” She handed Tok her card.

“Will do, Chief!”

* * *

The sun was just down, but shops were still open; autumn was giving way to winter, and a stiff breeze blew shreds of golden-edged purple clouds through a dull blue sky. Mako was on his way back to his apartment after his shift, walking the streets of Republic City. He was definitely glad he wasn’t sleeping on these streets these days. Poor kids still did, but every one he found he tried to find a place to spend a cold night.

The jacket of his uniform was almost enough, but not quite for the cool breeze, and he shrugged his shoulders, trying to stay warm. It was really beautiful, in a way, he thought, the lights from the shops bright with neon colors spilling out on the sidewalk, the colors of the sky, the crisp, clear air. He looked to the sky as he walked.

Suddenly he bumped into someone. A woman. She fell backwards onto her seat on the pavement.

The woman was wearing a tight dress and polished shoes, but no coat. She appeared not to be terribly cold, but a little dazed.

“I’m so sorry,” he exclaimed, offering her his hand, and pulling her up. “I guess I was a little distracted.”

“Me too! Thank you,” the woman said. She noticed his uniform. “You’re the police? Can you help me?”

“Certainly!” She was striking… beautiful, long, straight black hair, penetrating dark eyes. As beautiful as Asami had been, the day they’d run into each other… literally! But beautiful in a totally different way. 

“I just started a new job… I’m new in town too. So now...it’s getting dark. I haven’t been in this neighborhood at night, so I guess I’m a little lost. Everything looks so different at night.”

“Not a problem at all, Miss. Where do you need to go?”

“I’m looking for 36th street, off Roku Boulevard.”

“Not at all far from here. Would you like an escort?”

She dropped her eyes, and he was sure she was blushing, though in the light from the shops it was a little hard to tell. “Yes, that would be nice.”

“Aren’t you cold?” he asked, suddenly aware she was underdressed for the chilly wind.

“A little,” she admitted.

He whipped off his jacket. “May I?” he asked, and when she nodded, he put it around her shoulders. He offered his elbow, and she took his arm, and they walked together toward where she needed to go.

He didn’t really feel cold now. Oh, no. Not at all.

“My name’s Mako,” he said. “You’re new in the city?”

“My mother, sister and I arrived a month or so ago, from the islands southwest of the Fire Nation. It’s all very different here. It’s never cold there,” she laughed.

Her laugh was musical. Mako found it intoxicating.

“And you just started a new job? Congratulations!”

If he’d been looking at her face at that second, instead of watching the street for passing cars, he might have seen something like a shadow pass over her face.

“Yes, but, well… today’s been a complete blur.”

“Oh, I know what that’s like. When I joined the force, it was like going to school for the first time. I mean, there was so much to learn! All the new rules!”

“Yes, just like that,” she said.

They continued on another block.

“Ah, don't worry. In a few days it’ll all be old news,” Mako continued, lightly.

“That would be… really good,” she said. Her smile had faded.

“Is everything okay?”

“Oh, you know. Just nerves, I guess. It’s been a long day.”

“Nothing to fear, Miss,” he said. “Here we are!”

And indeed, they were at the corner of 36th and Roku Boulevard. He gestured up the street. She paused, and turned to him. 

“Thank you so much, Officer Mako,” she said, but then she stood, as though reluctant to leave.

He blushed himself, now.  _ Sometimes the risk is worth the reward _ , he told himself. “If you don’t mind my asking, would you like to come to dinner with me and my friends this weekend?”

The girl smiled, and it was extraordinary. Mako was quite warm now.  


“Oh! Your jacket!” she realized. She moved to take it off.

“Let’s get to your place, first,” he said, and she took his arm again, this time heading toward a modest brownstone.

At the doorstep, she took off the jacket and handed it back to him. “Friday?”

“At seven? I’ll pick you up here?”

“That would be wonderful… Mako.” she said, blushing again.

“I’m so sorry… what was your name again?”

“I didn’t tell you, did I? My name’s Jaidara.”


	11. Family Duty

“Mom,” Kya said, as Katara opened her arms at the top of the stairs to the Airbenders' home. “Mom, I’m so sorry.”

“I understand, Kya. I love you,” she said. Of course she did understand. She always had.

And it was that simple, Lin marveled. A few words, and they were back to what they’d been. She and Toph, and she and Suyin, had taken thirty years to do the same thing, and even then their relationships were still distant. She watched them embrace, silhouetted in the warm yellow light from inside glowing out into the blue night.

What was different? she wondered. Forgiveness for them was so easy! But maybe she was learning… she’d been angry and afraid, but let it go. Letting it go…

“Come on, Lin,” Katara beckoned. “Dinner’s on.”

Dinner was as annoying as she had anticipated. It was rather like a mess hall, with all the airbenders eating together. The younger girl whined almost nonstop because the boy kept flicking wet lentils at her. Their uncle Bumi admonished him several times, going off into anecdotes the boy ignored. The toddler would not sit down, and shrieked at random intervals, startling everyone. Of course, they all laughed.    
  
Tenzin’s older girl sat at another table making goo-goo eyes at one of the airbender boys. Lin almost missed her company, since she was otherwise a reasonable young woman, and Korra and Asami were absent too. Lin would have preferred even them as table mates. 

Kya did her best to include Lin and smooth over conversation, but Pema was being particularly unctuous this evening, asking numerous questions about Kya’s and Lin’s work and home, busybodiness in the guise of friendly concern. If Tenzin hadn’t been there, his wife might well have become tenderized meat in a boulder sandwich. Katara watched everything, nearly silent, with an unreadable expression.

Kya squeezed Lin’s hand several times, when Lin was near to eruption, and she restrained herself, glad for Kya’s touch as a distraction from the noise and nuisance. It was the promise of seeing Kya’s special places on the island that kept her mind above this familial fray.

The meal concluded with a collective chaos, as everyone started to rise and take their bowls into the kitchen. Lin was eager to get on with the evening, and took Kya’s bowl for her.

When she returned, she and Katara were sitting close to each other, talking. Their faces were serious. Rather than interrupt, she went out to the veranda and looked out across the sea. Republic City was behind her, and in front of her a wide, open body of water, out to the horizon. The weather was changed, and the wind was chilly.

It wasn’t long before Kya joined her there.

“Mom’s going to spend the night on the Island again. She thinks we need some time for ourselves.”

Lin chuckled ruefully. “You mean I could have had dinner alone with you at Kwong’s this whole time?”

Kya came close, and wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing her cheek. “Sorry, baby. I had to talk to Mom. You know. We can’t let these bad feelings hang around. It’s not healthy.”

“Sure you can! I went thirty years!”

“Yes, that worked out beautifully,” Kya smirked. She spun Lin around and kissed her quickly. “Shall we tour?”

First they went into the Air Temple itself, and Kya led her up through the hall, up to the library, and then into the circling stairwell of the tower. They heard shuffling at the top, and stopped to listen, briefly. Someone had beaten them to the private space at the windowed top room. After a moment or two they heard the sounds of someone moaning, heavy breathing, and a rhythmic, gentle thumping. Kya looked back down the stairs at Lin with a look of embarrassed amusement. 

“Taken,” she whispered, and they crept carefully down the stairs.

At the door, they broke into laughter.

They proceeded, arm in arm, across the stony pavilion to the arch, and down the stairs toward the pier. About halfway down, there was a bridge between the tall, rocky arms of the island. Kya led Lin off the paved pathway and scuttled down the rocks toward a small level place under the arches of the bridge. As they approached, however, two pairs of eyes shone out from under the bridge, one grey and one amber. Kai and Jinora were there, and were startled by their approach.

Without a word, they climbed back up to the walkway.

“Well, she does live here too, so I’m sure she’s explored it as much as I did,” Kya said, a little flustered.

“Teenagers,” Lin replied, rolling her eyes.

“They’ll think twice before doing anything silly,” Kya remarked, “now that they know we know.”

They continued down the walkway until they came to the guardhouse down by the pier. A pair of airbenders, standing very close to each other, waved to them. 

“Well, that one’s out,” Kya laughed.

Through the arch on the beach, and off to the left, they followed the sandy edge, up and around another promontory, and into a small valley, with a pool at its bottom. The water here was calm and still.

But it was too cold to enjoy the sand and water here, so they came back around, waved a second time to the airbenders at the guardhouse, and took a narrow, winding path up and behind it to another stony ridge. On its far side the path hugged the cliffs until it came to the sea stacks on the west side. Tall basalt pillars emerged from the waters and foam surrounded their bases. They continued on to the northwest, where a jutting mass of rock led to a small place with trees and grass on its top surface. The trees’ leaves had been swept bare, and now it was cold and windy. 

“These are wonderful places,” Lin said, admiring the stones sculpted by nature. “This place, even without the leaves, there’s a stark beauty to them.”

Kya pulled her close as they walked along. “Wind and water can shape steel and stone,” she said, with a grin.

Lin harrumphed, but she knew Kya was right. Her softness was making Lin’s own hardness into something different.

It was rather dark now, the sun long gone and clouds overhead. Lin suggested bending themselves back up to the top of the Island, instead of walking all the way back around, and they stood on a small ledge that Lin slid up the cliff face. To their left was the gazebo. It was a lovely, contemplative place, but in the darkness it had a curious solemnity about it. Kya held Lin’s hand here, but it seemed strange to do any more.

“Korra and Asami are often here at sunset,” Kya said. “I can see what they like about it here.”

“It’s their place,” Lin said. “We have our own.”

Kya looked at Lin, whose eyes were gentle. It was an invitation.

“Let’s go, then,” she said.

* * *

It was quite late after the ferry and car ride home. Lin flicked the lock open, and they went in. This was a warm, comforting quiet, unlike the night Lin was here alone, with the ticking of a clock on the wall, and the hum of a furnace. The wind outside was a gentle noise.

Coats and boots aside, armor off, a little stiff drink on the rocks. Down on the sofa, curled together.

“Sorry about the family,” Kya said.

“We’re so different. I don’t know how you handle it.”

“I knew they were making you nuts.”

Lin shrugged. “At least you were there."

“Mom could tell too.”

“You know what she did yesterday?”

“Talk of the town,” Kya said. “Everyone at the clinic gave me the story.”

“What do you think?”

“It’s strange, but good. Ever since Dad died, it’s like the fight went out of her. When she was young, the last thing she wanted was to be relegated to the healing huts. It was just supposed to be a skybison race around town with Bumi. Maybe it’s just that she’s been away from the action, and since there was nobody else there but Bumi, she felt like she had to do something.”

“And she took down four people!”

“That’s my mom!” Kya said proudly.

“I meant to ask you… did you meet someone named Jaidara at Kyoshi the other day?”

“Oh, yeah! Beautiful girl! Did you meet her too?”

“No, she wasn’t there. She didn’t show up, Tok said.”

“That’s weird. I hope she didn’t just up and leave.” She grimaced. “I told her I was a free spirit too, and that she should go see the world if she wanted.”

“Well, that makes things complicated.”

“Why?”

“The guy delivering vegetables there… well, up until recently... is somebody we need to follow for a case we’re working. They said he gave her something.”

“Jai is a smart girl. She wouldn’t do anything as stupid as getting mixed up with the triads.”

Lin took a deep breath, and let it out through her nose.

“What?”

“Don’t get angry, but… You’re a smart girl, and I didn’t think you’d do anything as stupid as Chin’s beard.”

Kya grunted. “Fair enough. I guess this means that there’s more to it than just the usual triad business.”

“You know, Kya, you may be right. This doesn’t seem like a triad thing. Usually there’s a heirarchy in the triads, but this seems like just one guy. We have no idea what he looks like, and there’s not the usual gang war activity. There’s no turf he seems to be after. He just…”

“What?”

“Well… he gets his goons addicted to the Beard, and they do things for him, no questions asked.”

“That’s a side effect. Yes. That happens with the seeds. It works on your fears. The hallucinations can be frightening. Probably this guy knows this, and manipulates their fears to do what he wants.”

“That would make sense. But it’s terrible.” Lin was scowling now. “We need to take this guy down.”

* * *

When Jaidara opened the door to her apartment, her mother was sobbing on the scarred old kitchen table.

“Is Jun home?” she asked.

Her mother shook her head. 

“Mama, what’s wrong?”

“She’s not herself again. She’s not right. Something’s wrong with her.”

“Where is she now?”

“Bedroom.”

Jai went into the bedroom carefully, and found her sister cocooned in a blanket, upright in bed, her eyes wide. She was terrified.

“Jun…” she called softly. “Jun… what do you see?”

“Spirits. Everywhere. Judging.”

Jai moved closer to her sister, flicking on the lamp by the bed.

“Show me,” she said.

Jun pointed at the wall. The wall was blank. “Jun, there’s no one there.”

“Don’t tell me you don’t see them!” Jun screamed. “RIGHT THERE! THEY KNOW!” She tried to swing at Jai, but the blankets were tight around her, and she tipped over. She flailed, struggling to free herself. “They’ve got me! They’ve got me!” she wailed.

Jai jumped on top of her, using arms and legs to hold her still. “Calm down! Jun! Stop! I’m here! I’m back! It’s me, Jai! Jai!”

Jun bucked and rolled, and Jaidara fell off onto the floor. She picked herself up, and stood, watching her sister curl into a ball on the bed. She scanned the room for anything that could be used as a weapon, unplugged and took away the lamp. Jun would have to ride this out, until the effects wore off. She came out and jammed a kitchen chair under the doorknob.

She was furious. That sleazy bastard had done this to her.

_ He’s gonna pay for this,  _ she thought.


	12. There's This Guy

Mako exited the interview room, frustrated. Lin was waiting outside.

“I can’t get them to say anything. It’s crazy!” he steamed.

“It’s the drug,” Lin said. “They’re terrified.”

Mako looked at her, surprised.

“New intelligence,” Lin responded, curtly. 

He’d been interviewing the four people who’d approached the portal, the ones Katara had frozen before they could enter. Since then, Lin had quadrupled the guards outside the portal, and no one had come back out in the past two days, so they hoped they’d caught them all.

“Did they give you their names, at least?” Lin asked. “Are they regulars?”

“No. No names, and none of them have priors. I get the impression that they’re not very familiar with each other. They’re definitely not triad. Just… random people. They’re not trying to be loyal to anybody, at least not each other. They just don’t want to tell me anything.”

She flipped up the blinds to the interview room, to peer in at one of the suspects. “Anything in common?”

“Jail time doesn’t seem to scare them. Whatever it is that does have them spooked, it’s big.”

They headed toward the detectives’ bull pen, and officers were working, typing reports and reading notes. There were also a few standing around the water cooler. Bolin was in the middle of a story. He flexed his muscles, posing, as though paparazzi were there to take his photo, but he lost the color in his cheeks and crumpled into a shadow of himself as he saw Lin approach.

“Uh… Hi, Chief?”

“I have an idea.” She said. “Follow me.”

They went back to the interview room, and she gestured for him to go in. “These suspects are terrified of something. I need you to do the hero bit. Like the movers. Pretend you’re that character you did, and see if they’ll open up.”

“You want me to play Nuktuk for… them?”

“I get it!” Mako smiled. “Yeah! These suspects are so scared they won’t talk. We need to get them to trust us. If they recognize you, maybe you can promise to protect them from whatever it is that scares them. Find out what they’re so afraid of. Then we might be able to figure out why they were trying to get into the portal. Just play it up… I know you can do it.”

Bolin looked skeptical. “I haven’t done a mover in years. I don’t have a costume, and I haven’t rehearsed…”

“I know you can pull this off, Bro! You gotta at least try.”

Bolin shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”

They sent him in, and peered discreetly through the blinds. The young man in the room, perhaps in his mid teens, sat up straight in his chair and looked at Bolin with astonishment. 

Lin and Mako listened intently to the small speaker under the window.

“You know who I am?”

“Aren’t you… Nuktuk? You aren’t really him, are you?”

“I am, young man. I’m here to help.” Bolin was suddenly in character. He smiled widely and posed, straightening up and lifting his chin.

“I can’t tell you anything.”

“Listen, son,” Bolin put a fatherly hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Whatever it is that’s troubling you, I’m here to protect you. That’s my duty. That’s why I’m known as Nuktuk, Hero of the South!”

“You won’t tell anybody?”

“Justice is the most important thing. If what you tell me helps justice be done, you won’t come to any harm. This is my promise.”

Lin leaned over to Mako and whispered, “What a ham!”

Mako grinned. It didn’t matter how cheesy the acting was, as long as it got the kid to open up.

The young man folded his shoulders forward, making himself small, shaking with sobs. Bolin looked uncertain for a second, but was in character again before the boy noticed. He pulled over a chair and put his bulky arm around the boy’s narrow shoulders, and they sat quietly for a minute.

“I’m so scared,” the boy said, so quietly that Lin and Mako had to strain to hear. “He told us that we couldn’t tell anybody what we were doing, or the Spirits would find out.” 

“Who? Who said they’d find out?”

“Soong Pak.”

Mako shot a look at Lin.  


“What did he want you to do?”

“I’m a harvester. We were going to harvest...” he stopped.

“Harvester?”

“Well, not all of us were. We didn’t think anybody would get through the portal alone, what with the guards, so some of us agreed to work together. Some would get caught, but some might get through to get the harvest. We said we’d share the reward.” 

“Harvesting what?”

“They’ll  _ know… _ ” the boy said, in a horrified whisper.

“Don’t worry, son. I’m here to protect you. You can trust me.”

“No no no, Soong Pak told me never to tell anybody. The Spirits would know. I’m not even supposed to know who the other harvesters are. It was just… me and my cousin found out we’d each been chosen, so we got together to see if we could find more of us.”

“More of you,” Bolin repeated, confused. 

“You can’t tell Soong Pak! Please! Please don’t! He’ll send somebody after us! He’s almost as bad as the Spirits! He’s protecting us from them, but who’ll protect us from him?”

“I will. My duty is to protect the suffering.”

The boy stopped, afraid and unsure.

Bolin tried to prompt him. “How do we find Soong Pak?”

“You don’t. He finds you.”

“Well, how did he find you?” 

“I had a job as a truck driver. It was hard work, and I didn’t like it much. Then this guy came up one day while I was delivering, and offered me something to make me feel better. And it did, for a while. It made me feel amazing. He was so nice to me. He said he was going to get me a better job. So every week or so he gave me more seeds… “ The boy put his hands over his mouth, suddenly realizing his admission.

“Go on, young man, it’s all right.”

"You won’t tell the cops on me?”

“The police are assisting me in the search for Soong Pak. We know he’s up to no good. If you help us, we’ll protect you from him and the Spirits. I promised, and you know Nuktuk is always true to his word.”

The boy relented. “He’d come by with more seeds. I’d chew ’em up, and then I’d feel better again. And then he started to ask me to do things. I don’t know why, but… I did ’em.”

“What sort of things?”

The boy shook his head, ashamed. His eyes were downcast.

“Were you harvesting seeds?”

“No. No. Those...those are just... “ he whispered, “Chin’s beard.”

Bolin assumed a grave look on his face. “That’s very serious, young man.”

The kid put his face in his hands. “I know! I know…”

“We can get you help for that.” Bolin looked at the window, his face a question:  _ Can we? _

Lin nodded.

“Where did you first meet him?”

“There’s a restaurant. I deliver there. Fruits and vegetables. That airbender restaurant, Doctor Hao’s. I can’t afford to eat there.”

“What did he look like? Can you describe him?”

Suddenly the boy looked absolutely dazed, like a light switch in his mind had turned off. “Short. Brown eyes. Brown hair. Pale skin. Has a beard. Wide nose. Approximately forty years old.” It was as though he’d been reading a script.

Bolin squished the boy under his arm. “Look, son, you’ve done a good thing. It’s very brave of you to trust me. I swear I will live up to that trust and protect you.”

The boy, his face wet with tears but shining with gratitude, shook Bolin’s hand, and Bolin came out of the interview room.

Lin, Mako and Bolin went down the hallway a few steps.

“How’d I do, Chief?”

Her face was expressionless. “You’re not done. Interview the other three, and see what else you can find out.”  


* * *

Kya had to use the back door of the clinic. The front lobby was crowded, and there was a line of people out the door and down the sidewalk. 

She rolled her eyes. Dr. Hao was scheduled today. 

The front desk assistant did her best to manage the crowd, but they were pushing against her desk, each demanding to be the first to see the now-famous “doctor”. She gave a pleading look to Kya.

This had been happening for weeks now, since Hao An had opened that stupid restaurant. In the few months prior, he’d been getting more and more patients asking for his services at the clinic. She was fine with him taking on more patients, of course, and relieving some of the burden from the other waterbenders and herbalists. But there was something fishy about his cures. They were effective beyond what any other herbalist had been able to achieve; and he claimed not to be a waterbender, but there was no explaining how simple massage and acupuncture had healed some of the disorders he’d taken on. It was a little strange, actually. Why hide being a bender? But he claimed to be from the east of the Earth Kingdom, and not Water Tribe at all. 

But she’d never had the opportunity to see him working, because she was always busy herself, treating wounds, injuries, and illnesses. 

Their only interactions were outside the exam rooms, and he didn’t talk about what he did inside them. He was uninterested in sharing tips or technique. He did like to talk about pro-bending, local politics, and the movers. He loved chatting up young women. He’d tried  _ that _ on her just the one time, but she presented herself as no less than his professional equal, and that curbed his enthusiasm. He seemed to avoid Kya after that.

So he was good with patients, and okay, that wasn’t a bad thing, she supposed. So what was it about him that irritated her so much? He was… slimy… somehow. As he led each to his office, he dripped concern for the old ladies, was man-to-man with the young men, sympathetic to older men, and all over the young ladies. It was all show, and the patronizing way he’d assure them he knew just what to do drove Kya up a wall.

Judging by the way his wardrobe had improved since he’d begun working at the clinic, he had no qualms about charging them for his services. Kya had been a healer her whole life, trained by the best, and she learned herbs, massage, meditation and acupuncture on her travels; but she never charged for it. At the South Pole, and while she traveled, she’d traded her skills for the things she needed, like food, clothes and fuel for their home. It hadn’t ever been about getting rich. It seemed wrong to her to profit from helping people, particularly the wealth that “Doctor” Hao An seemed to be accumulating.

And then this stupid restaurant. For one thing, where did he get off calling it airbender cuisine? The only people she knew who even had access to old airbender recipes were her father and Miki, who’d kept them in her carefully guarded cookbook, handed down from her grandmother. She hadn’t been to the restaurant, but she was pretty sure his fruit pies were nothing like Dad’s. Or Miki’s. Yet the well-to-do of Republic City had made it their new fashionable place to dine, applauding themselves for eating “healthy”. Hao even shaved his head, probably to insinuate some connection between himself and the airbenders. No tattoos, fortunately, but she was irritated nevertheless.

But now he was oh-so-famous: big reputation, his name in the papers, this restaurant. His clinic days had dwindled to maybe twice a week, so he wasn’t much use anymore, and when he was there, the crowds made it difficult for anyone else to get help.

The front desk assistant was overwhelmed. Kya climbed on top of her desk, gesturing for the crowd to settle down.

“Who’s here to see one of the clinicians?” she shouted.

The crowd muttered, and a few hands went up, some of Kya’s regulars, some others.

“Who’s here for ‘Doctor’ Hao?” she went on, irked, hands on hips.

The majority of the crowd’s hands flew into the air. 

“Anybody who really needs to be helped, please come forward. If you’re just here for a consultation with Hao you’re going to need to form a line over to the left. One at a time! Hey! No shoving! You’ll all get seen. Settle down!”

She didn’t know if that was strictly true, but that was up to Hao An to clear up. She’d try to see as many actual patients as she could. 

She climbed down and bent close to the assistant. “Is he even here yet?”

The assistant shook her head. 

“Call the police if they don’t stay in line. This is ridiculous. It’s gotta stop.”

She went back to the staff room, and the other healers and herbalists were there, drinking tea and grousing about the situation.

She drew their attention. “Are you guys as fed up as I am?”

“I don’t have any clients left,” complained Ming, a young woman and acupuncturist. “They all want to see the famous doctor.”

“He’s gotta be spiking his cures with something illegal,” added Gugun, an older gentleman, with an encyclopedic knowledge of plants. “I can’t figure out what he’s doing, otherwise. No combinations of herbs I’ve ever heard of can treat some of the things he’s treating.”

“I have to agree,” said Kya. “What should we do about him? This kind of circus can’t continue.”

“Well, given that he’s loaded now, what with the restaurant, I say we tell him to open his own place.” This was from Mahi’it, a healer from the Northern Water Tribe.

The other members of the staff murmured their agreement.

Kya paused. “Gugun, do you really think there’s something illegal going on? Do we need to get the police involved?” 

Suddenly the older man was hesitant. “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know. I mean, maybe I’m just envious of his success.”

Kya understood his reluctance. Chin’s Beard had been growing in her own garden, after all. Gugun may not have been using anything illegal in his own cures, necessarily, but he might well want to avoid scrutiny about his own stores of plants.

Mahi’it spoke up. “Still, something’s not right. Who gets famous for being a doctor? It’s so strange! We respect our healers in the Water Tribe, but they’re just people, like everybody else. Right, Kya?”

“I understand that, Mahi’it, but this is Republic City, and he claims not to be a bender.” 

Chun, another acupuncturist, stood up. “I say we put it to a vote. All for telling Hao An to get his own clinic?”

The ayes were unanimous. He spoke again. “Who’s going to tell him?”

All eyes went to Kya. She wasn’t surprised, really.

“Why me?” she laughed. 

The staff laughed with her, and Ming said, sweetly, “We think he’s afraid of you.”

* * *

Korra was across the ballroom, having been collared by some Earth Kingdom politicians, hoping to influence her over some dispute. Asami smiled; she knew Korra well, and her body language spoke louder than the politicians… she wasn’t buying any of it. 

Korra didn’t enjoy these parties so much, but with so many political and cultural leaders in attendance, it was important for her to be there too. 

These fancy parties were part of her job; contracts didn’t just fall in her lap. She had to meet with politicians and other business leaders to stay abreast of opportunities to sell Future Industries’ products and services. Reconstruction of Republic City would be finished someday, and there would have to be other jobs to take on. She wanted to be ready for them. To be honest, she didn’t mind these parties; her father had held them as well, at the Estate, when she was young, and sometimes she was allowed to stay for the big fancy dinner. Once the drinks were served, she was always whisked away, but she’d been fascinated by seeing so many different kinds of people there. They’d always been nice to her.

It was different now, of course, since she was CEO. Many women were there only as guests of their husbands, and most of the men were the business owners and politicians. They often didn’t take Asami seriously, despite her track record at producing so many new innovative products and providing such quality work on reconstruction. Very often they insinuated there had to be a man running things in the background, and that Asami was merely the pretty figurehead of the company.

“Miss Sato! It’s such a pleasure to meet you!”

An older man, as tall as she, trim and dapper, with smooth, immaculately dressed grey hair. He was wearing a very fine, expensive silk suit. He extended his hand toward her.

Asami took his hand to shake it. Before she could, he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it, and she tried not to recoil. 

“And you are?” she asked, as politely as she could manage.

“Supak Tan. I’m the founder of Tan Pharmaceuticals. I’ve read a great deal about you.”

“I hope they were good things that you read.”

“Nothing but! You’re quite the businesswoman, I understand.”

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Mr. Tan. Are you new to Republic City?”

“I have the advantage, you say…” He grinned. “Yes, I’ve just started operations. I was working in Ba Sing Se at the University, doing research, but it became clear that it was time to strike out on my own.”

His smile was sharp… almost predatory. Asami squared her shoulders. She had a feeling about this jerk. How did she know he was a jerk? She wasn’t sure, but the feeling was clear.

“Pharmaceuticals,” she said, noncommittally. “It’s a field with a great potential for growth.”

“I think so,” Tan replied. “As technology moves forward, and the population of non-benders grows, especially outside the Waterbending centers, fields like medicine will have to expand beyond the traditional. We could improve upon remedies that exist, or create new treatments for conditions that are currently untreatable, and the opportunity for profit in those areas is enormous.”

Asami took a sip from her glass and nodded. The notion bothered her. Waterbenders treated the sick and injured, but not for profit. Usually they made a decent living, but it wasn’t an area where huge profits were ever discussed. Herbalists had always been hit and miss with their traditional remedies. Sometimes they were effective, sometimes it was a con job, and it was often hard to tell one from the other. But herbalists were rarely ever more profitable than the average grocer. It was a field of individual practitioners, not corporate entities.

“Is there something wrong?” Tan asked.

“No, no,” she lied.

“It’s just a startup at the moment, of course. Procurement of materials, and some research and development. Right now I’m working some fundamentals, such as qi measurement and enhancement, in order to maximize the effects of certain compounds… but I won’t bore you with the gory details,” he went on. “It’s rather technical.”

“I enjoy technical things,” Asami replied, looking him directly in the eye. “Just this afternoon we were testing new prototypes for electronic-controlled fuel systems.”

“Is that right?  You must have some pretty skilled men in your design department. That’s some cutting edge stuff.”

“I designed it.”

He seemed nonplussed. “Well, naturally, the credit does go to Future Industries, and as head of the company you can take credit for—”

“I am the head engineer, and it was my idea, and the staff used my calculations and drawings to help me create the prototypes.” Asami said this slowly and deliberately.  

“Sure, sure, of course, of course,” Tan laughed. Clearly he did not believe her. “And then you came straight from the shop floor to this event tonight.”

Asami looked at him coldly, and turned to move away.

“You do look gorgeous, by the way. I know I’d sign any contract you put in front of me. Especially wearing that dress.” He grinned even as he leered at her. Suddenly Asami realized how close he’d approached, following her, and she started looking around for Korra.

“Maybe we could talk over dinner. Tan Pharmaceuticals is looking for investors, and maybe we can make a nice little arrangement. A little business, a little pleasure…”

_ Of course. _  “Have your secretary call, and I’m sure we can arrange lunch sometime,” she said.

“Lunch? Not a nice romantic dinner?”

“I’m seeing someone,” she replied, annoyed.

“Is there a problem, sir?” Korra asked. She tapped Supak Tan on the shoulder from behind, and he spun around. Her face was unsmiling.

“I’m just having a conversation with MIss Sato here.”

“Miss Sato appears to be done with the conversation.”

“I don’t think it’s any of your business, Miss.”

“That’s Avatar Korra to you,  _ sir _ .”

He straightened. “Is that so? Asami Sato’s right-hand man, huh?” He turned to Asami. “So she swoops in to guard you from eager gentlemen, huh? Protects your honor?”

“She doesn’t need my help,” Korra laughed derisively. “She’s not Daddy’s little girl. She can handle herself.” Korra winked at Asami, who smiled both gratefully and with deep amusement.

“So who’s she seeing, really, Avatar? Who’s the guy?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

Tan’s eyebrows lifted. “None? So the position  _ is _ open.”

Asami and Korra gave each other a look, and laughed.

Finally it dawned on him. “Ohhhhhh…...might this be a two-for-one deal? I’m capable of a variety of positions… maybe a trio? I’m flexible...” He looked at Asami again, “... and I’m guessing you would be too.” 

Korra snorted. “Is he for real?”

“What’s  _ real _ is that it’s a shame. A waste. What you need,  _ ladies, _ is a  _ real _ man to show you what you’ve been missing. Someone who can  _ really _ take charge.”

Asami had had enough. She threw the glass of bubbly she’d been holding at him.

He spluttered with rage, brushing at his fine suit, now soaked with champagne.

“Oh, sorry,” Korra said, waterbending the drink out of his jacket and tie. She held the liquid suspended in a wavy ball in front of him. “Maybe you’d like to apologize to her now?”

“For what?” He narrowed his eyes at Asami. His voice was low and threatening. “You think you’re better than me, huh? Turning up your nose at a guy trying to build a business, and maybe get a little sugar too? I don’t need you. I got a dozen girls ready to do anything I want, whenever I want. And furthermore, most of the  _ men _ in this room have the business sense to take the opportunity you’re gonna pass up. And you’re gonna regret it.”

Korra dumped the ball of champagne on his head.

A titter passed through the room, some heads turned, and Tan, whose face was purple, ducked and left in no time at all.

“ _ Are _ we going to regret that?” Asami asked her.

“Doubt it,” Korra said.


	13. The Good Doctor

“Hao An, could I have a word with you?” She couldn’t bring herself to use the honorific ‘Doctor’.

It was the end of the work day, and the crowd from the morning had dispersed. He’d come in not long after the staff had made their decision, and between his efforts and the rest of the staff every patient left with some kind of treatment; whether they were satisfied or not was another story, as not everyone was able to actually meet the good doctor, and had to settle for someone else. 

“Kya!” he said, buoyant. Despite the long work day, Hao didn’t seem the least bit fatigued. Indeed, he seemed energized by the number of people who’d passed through his office door, and basked in the praise they all showered upon him.

“We need to talk,” she said. She wasn’t looking forward to this.

“We certainly do!” he replied. “I have great news!” 

Puzzled, she followed him to his office. He had a spring in his step, which she envied after the wearing day. Inside, it was covered with motivational posters, anatomy and qi meridian charts, and illustrations of a wide variety of flowering plants. The room was cheery and comforting. She began to understand why he was so popular and successful. He was a genius at marketing himself, and he exuded confidence.

Having faith in the medical practitioner went a long way in helping a patient heal; the placebo effect alone was sometimes as effective as some herbal cures. She often prescribed a kind of tea with a harmless fragrant flower for people with sleeping trouble, or minor aches and pains. It almost always worked.

Hao knew his business as an herbalist, and between that and the acupuncture, she supposed it was possible that he worked his patients’ credulity so effectively that they cured themselves, at least from most simple ailments. Still, things like tumors were impossible to cure with placebo alone, and some diseases were stronger than the power of suggestion could conquer. And then wound care was a whole other subject.

“Let me go first,” he said, after closing the door behind her. Uncomfortable, she went back to open it slightly. She turned and faced him, arms crossed.

 “I realize that our professional relationship got off to a bad start. I apologize for that.”

Kya was speechless.

“I wanted to let you know that I’ll be opening my own clinic soon. I know what a mess it’s been since things started taking off for me, and I really appreciate how the staff has really stepped up to help me with the crowds. So I’m going to have my own place, and maybe that’ll alleviate some of the trouble we’ve been having here.”

Kya’s mouth fell open. “I… uh…”

“Please, let me finish,” Hao said, excitedly. “What I’ve been able to do while I’ve been here is to establish my reputation in Republic City, which made it possible for me to start a partnership with a friend of mine. We’re going to mass-produce some of my cures and tonics, and bring these medicines to people outside the city and around the world.” 

Kya frowned. It seemed a trifle too benevolent to be true.

“So what’s the reason behind the restaurant?”

“Of course,” he said. “I’m aware that your relationship with airbenders is unique. No disrespect is intended. I hope that you aren’t offended by my attempt to pay homage to their culture.” 

“Actually… I…” Kya could hardly believe this was the same man she was mentally cursing in the morning. What was he trying to say?

“My family’s from a village very far east, close to the Eastern Air Temple. Before the war, they traded with the Air Nomads there. My grandma took down some of their recipes, and when I was visiting my cousins a couple of years ago, I discovered her notes. It was a treasure trove. It gave me the idea for starting a place of my own, even then. The food’s very healthy, not to mention delicious.”

“It’s a pretty expensive place, though, isn’t it?”

“Some of the ingredients are exotic. Importing them from such long distances does cost a lot. And I mean, is there anything wrong with making a profit from business?”

“Well, from the restaurant, no, but…” She eyed him carefully.

“When my medicines are mass-produced, I’ll be able to cut the cost of their production, and make it easier for everyone to afford them. I know I charge more than the average practitioner, but I think people _want_ to get what they pay for. It makes what we do more effective, when patients invest their time _and_ their money, right? They _believe_ it in more, if you know what I mean.”

“I know the role placebo plays, yes. But Hao, that’s not really why we’re here. We’re not about profit at this clinic.”

“Look, I know in the Water Tribe it’s not respectable to make a profit from healing. I understand that. But you have to understand that this is Republic City, where all the nations are blending together, and charging for services is not just accepted, but expected. Isn’t it? Look at...say...Future Industries. I bet they make a great profit, but they’re also helping the people of the city with reconstruction, right? Shouldn’t they get a reward for their work?”

Kya couldn’t think of a response.

Hao went on. “If it makes you feel better, I use a flexible scale, and when a patient can afford it, they pay full price. But I won’t leave a patient who really needs me unserved if they can’t pay.”

“I don’t know what to say, Hao. I…” 

“Kya, I’d like to leave on better terms than we started. I'd like to explain my plans. How about you join me for dinner at the restaurant tomorrow?”

“Just the two of us?” she asked skeptically.

“Not necessarily. Bring someone you want to impress.” He smiled generously.

Kya wondered what Lin might think. She wondered what Hao would think of the Chief of Police as her guest. That thought made her grin… he couldn’t possibly pull anything creepy with Lin there. Right now he was all smiles and well-meaning words, but even so she had lingering doubts. His aura was still dull.

“That’s very thoughtful of you, Hao. I’d be pleased.”

“Tomorrow at seven, then?” 

“Yes, thank you.” 

“Now what was it you wanted to talk about?” Hao said, folding his hands and sitting on the edge of his desk.

 “Actually...nothing, now. Never mind.”


	14. Reservations

“You flew home?”

Katara patted the young sky bison on the head gently. “He likes me. What can I say?” She laughed. “I don’t know if a bison has ever bonded with a waterbender, but there’s a first time for everything.”

Kya could hardly be angry, with Mom laughing this way. Of course she flew home. She could still handle herself. And this bison was the one she’d raced over Republic City, and it certainly did look like the fluffy beast wanted to be her friend. It was nuzzling her even now.

“Lin… I don’t know if she’s going to be happy if you keep him here,” she said skeptically.

“Oh, he won’t stay. He’s too young. But he knows the way back to the stables, and there’s plenty of room here in the garden if he wants to come visit. Isn’t that right, buddy?” She rubbed its huge, fuzzy cheeks.

Kya remembered her father calling Appa “buddy”. Yes, he was Mom’s. This bison was, after all, one of the herd that Appa sired, when Aang had discovered wild sky bisons near the Eastern Air Temple. A grandchild. One of the family.

“Are you going to name him?”

“I haven’t come up with one yet. I’ll have to think about it.”

Lin came into the garden where they were. “You flew home?”  Kya and Katara both laughed.

“You two,” Katara said.

With a smile, Lin slipped her arm around Kya’s waist.

“You’re home early,” Kya said.

“No, I’m just not late today,” she pointed out, cheerfully, “so what’s for dinner?”

“Where are you taking us?” Katara asked, with a wink.

WIthout missing a beat, Lin countered, “Wherever you want!”

Kya interrupted, “Actually, Lin, I made plans for us tomorrow. We’ve been invited to ‘Doctor’ Hao’s airbender restaurant.”

Katara snorted derisively. “That quack? Duck isn’t vegetarian.”

“Try and tell his patients that,” Kya said, rolling her eyes.

“What time? Because Nuying’s quintet is playing at the club.”

“Seven.”

“I suppose they won’t start playing until about nine, so we could make an evening of it,” Lin said.

“Are you okay with that, Mom? We might be out late.”

“I’m good. I can spend some time getting to know my new friend,” Katara replied, affectionately braiding the bison’s hair. “If I need anything, he can give me a ride.”

Kya continued, “So maybe some delivery tonight? Roast duck does sound good.”

Lin’s stomach growled on cue.

* * *

Korra brushed Asami’s hair with long, slow strokes. She thought about that day, years ago, when Asami had helped her get ready for Jinora’s ceremony. Then, she’d still been suffering from the Red Lotus’ poison, but she’d been sick at heart too, the joy of life broken in her. Asami had brought it all back, and then some.

“Thank you,” she said.

Asami sat straighter on the cushioned vanity bench in their room, surprised. “What for?”

“I was thinking about Jinora’s ceremony. You were there for me then. You were always there for me.”

Asami’s shoulders lowered. She sighed, happily.

“Mako’s got a date tomorrow,” Asami said.

“He does? Really?”

“Yeah. He asked me to make the reservations for six of us at Hao’s.”

“That airbender place?”

“He wants to impress her.”

Korra laughed. “Beifong must have given him a raise.”

“We better behave ourselves,” Asami replied, amused. “We don’t want to blow this for him.”

“I don’t know if I can promise that.”

“Hmmm.” Asami shifted again, imagining what Korra might mean.

“He hasn’t been very lucky in love, has he?”

“Well, I guess we’re kind of hard to follow.”

“Ha! The Avatar, and the most beautiful woman in the world? I mean, I don’t want to brag, but it _is_ kind of a challenge to top that.”

Asami smiled at the mirror. The compliment was not lost on her. “This woman must be something else, then,” Asami said. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Should I be jealous?”

“Nope. Nuh-uh.”

Korra continued brushing. “Honestly I thought he’d kind of given up. He seems content just being himself, and anyway Beifong has him running around all over.”

“She trusts him. I think she’s making the first steps towards retiring, and preparing him to take over.”

“That makes sense. Now that she and Kya are together, I suppose it’s nice to have a little extra time to spend together.”

“I know I get home from work as fast as I can.”

Korra came around and bent to kiss her. “I appreciate that more than you know.”

“Show me how much you appreciate me,” Asami said, her voice suddenly husky.

“With pleasure.”

“Yes.”

* * *

Mako took the same route home that he had the night he’d met Jaidara. He wasn’t sure why… she’d been lost then, so surely she wouldn’t need him to show her the way a second time. Still, it would be nice to see her. She was gorgeous, and those dark eyes had captured his imagination. But they'd only spoken a little, and he wanted to know much more.

The neon lights glowed on the sidewalk, and it was dark. The moon was waning, a bright crescent in a clear, cold sky. He strolled, slowly, patiently, feeling just a little bit silly, but hey! What else did he have to do?

“Officer?”

Mako stopped, and there she was. He’d nearly walked right by her. She was wearing what seemed like a large, soft blanket, Fire Nation dark red, almost hidden in the evening dark. It covered her whole body, and was pulled up over her head, hiding her hair. A corner passed under her chin, and was fastened at the shoulder with a brass pin in the shape of a dragon. The folds of the draped cloth created a fascinating curve upward across her figure. The effect was dramatic, and yet profoundly simple.

“Jaidara?”

She smiled and blushed, and looked down, closing those extraordinary eyes.

“You look warmer!” he said, and suddenly felt like a complete idiot. “I mean, you look great, but… well… yeah, warmer.”

She laughed. “It gets so cold here! I found this in a little shop today, and it’s just like the cotton robes women sometimes wear in the islands.”

“I thought you said it was never cold there.”

“I did. But sometimes women on our island cover themselves for modesty’s sake. With a breeze from the sea, it can still be cool to wear.”

“I didn’t think seeing less of you would make you look so much more beautiful,” he said, amazed, and then coughed, embarrassed again. “I’m sorry. That was pretty forward.”

“You’re a gentleman, Officer Mako, so I forgive you,” she said.

“Just Mako,” he offered.

“Just Jai,” she replied, smiling, and looked him straight in the eye. She was bold for a moment, and then dropped her gaze again.

“How’s the new job? Are you on your way home?” he asked, once he’d recovered the ability to speak.

“Not exactly…”

“Oh. Um.”

“Well, actually... To tell the truth, I was hoping I would find you. Would you like to have some tea with me? There’s a place around the corner.”

“I know the one. It’s quite a coincidence, because I was hoping I’d run into you.” He grinned, absolutely chuffed.

He presented an elbow for her to take, and she grasped it cheerfully, and they strode around the corner, and into the tea shop.

Inside it was warm and the light was golden. They found a table for two in the corner by the front window, and saw their reflections in the glass. A waiter took their order. They sat together, shyly silent.

“So how’s the new job? What is it you do?” Mako asked, finally.

“I didn’t keep the job, to be honest. But it’s okay. It’s a terrible place anyway. I hope I can get my old one back.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “What was your old one?”

“I worked at a club in the Lung Dragon neighborhood. It was a nice place. The owners were very kind. I shouldn’t have gone off without telling them.”

“Why’d you leave it then? Better pay?”

“My sister,” she began, but then paused, and looked past her reflection into the darkness.

“Your sister works there?”

“Yeah. The pay is good, but… I don’t know. It’s not worth it.”

There was a story here, but it was too soon to ask too many questions. _Best to offer something first,_ he thought.

“I work with my brother, Bolin. I’ve been on the force for a few years now, but he just started. It’s weird having him at work with me again.”

“You’ve worked with him other places?”

“Yeah, we were pro benders for a while. Almost made it to the top of the league, but…  well… it’s a long story.”

“I love long stories,” Jaidara said. “I…um...”

“You?”

“I feel a little silly when I tell people. I want to be a writer.”

“Like, books? Wow! That’s cool! Or for the newspaper?”

“Well, more like movers, but I suppose books too,” she laughed.

“Movers? Really? My brother was in the movers!”

“No. Way.” Jai said, astonished.

“Nuktuk? Hero of the South? That’s my bro!”

“Are you kidding me? We took a boat trip six hours to go to the mover house to see Nuktuk!”

“It made it all the way to the Fire Nation Islands?”

“Nuktuk was the reason I wanted to become a writer for the movers!” Jai exclaimed, almost giggling from excitement. “The writing for those stories was so _bad!_ They were hilarious!”

Mako couldn’t help but laugh himself. “Yeah, it was pretty crazy stuff.”

“But now he’s working with you? For the police?”

“Well, a lot’s happened these past few years here in Republic City. After Harmonic Convergence, and Korra defeated the Dark Avatar, we traveled around looking for the new airbenders, and…”

“You know the Avatar?” Jai said, her eyes wide.

He answered carefully. “We’re friends, yeah. You’ll meet her tomorrow. And Bolin.”

“I can’t believe this,” she said, her voice hushed. “I’m just. Wow.”

“Don’t get too excited,” Mako laughed. “They’re just ordinary people, like me.”  
  
“Who told you you were ordinary?” she said, her eyes fixed on him and glittering.

“Once you get to know me...” he started.

“I might get to like you,” Jai said, quickly. Then she leaned back, pretending to brush a speck from a knee. “Maybe.” Her tone was cool, but her smile betrayed her.

Their tea and cake arrived, and they were both relieved for the break.

Despite the modesty of her dress and that adorable way she hid her eyes, there was something about her that lay just below the surface. Mako was intrigued. He'd have to stay on his toes with her, he thought.

"So what about you? Tell me about yourself," Mako said, eagerly.

She hesitated, her smile fading slightly. "I'm not sure...Maybe tomorrow. I mean, I wouldn't want to tell all my secrets right away." Suddenly she was coy, sipping tea, looking over her cup at him.

He noticed, but played along. "Secrets? A nice girl like you?"

"You never know. Looks are deceiving."

"You're not like any criminal mastermind I've ever seen before."

"Who said anything about being a criminal?" she laughed.

"I'm a detective! You said secrets!?"

"Oh, Mako, you're so cute," she said. "I was just playing!"

"I'm no good at banter, I guess," he said, shaking his head. "I just tell it like it is."

She reached over and put her hand on his. "That's good! It's so much less confusing that way."

Her hand was rough and calloused, used to hard work, he noticed. She wasn't rich or famous. Jai was just a smart girl, working her way up in the world. A little like he'd done himself, though on a very different path.

He covered her hand with his own, so that he was clasping it between his. He looked at her and said, "Well, then, maybe you'll trust me."

Now it was her turn to blush, and she looked down once again. "Maybe I should."


	15. A Self-Made Man

_ Spite is as good a fuel as any _ , he thought, inspecting the toupee on its stand. It had been carefully washed, and all the champagne was cleaned up. 

So the CEO of Future Industries was just a brainy loser, in spite of the hot body, and she was into that butch Avatar. What a fucking waste. It might be fun to watch the two of them, but boning either of them would be more of a win than any success he’d had so far. Yeah, it was true, he had a dozen girls who’d do anything he wanted, but they were too easy, doped up on the Beard. The idea of making Sato beg for it was unusually arousing.

There was no way he could fight the Avatar on his own, not through brute force, anyway. And that’s all she was, just a brute. Sato might have some brains, but he’d come too far to let that little disappointment stop him. He was already rich and respectable in spite of her rejection.

The mirror reflected yet another man. He wasn’t that scrawny loser from the Swamp. Never again. Ma might have been a good healer, and Pops knew his herbs, but he was determined to make more of himself than that. Saving somebody’s life in return for a new hat, or a sack of nuts? Naw, he could do way better.

Going to Ba Sing Se University was a damned joke. In the Earth Kingdom capital, just being a waterbender was bad enough, but from the Swamp too? The professors of medicine tried to make him look like a fool, but it hadn’t worked, had it? He already knew as much about medicine as they did when he’d started, but he needed the degree to be legit. But it didn’t matter. They treated him like trash anyway. Still, he got the degree. Good thing it matched the name he was using now.

The Swamp reputation clung to him like stink. So he shed his name and his family like a snakebird skin, and made his first money fixing up triad family injuries in Ba Sing Se. Learned surgery the hard way, but got good fast. As for the rest, they didn’t care whether the cures were legal or not, as long as they worked, and when they worked, they paid him well. Suddenly he had access to a whole range of techniques the stodgy old profs at the Uni wouldn’t even think of trying.

Cactus juice had some interesting properties, and he had a whole bunch of fresh test subjects presented to him with every turf war. But he’d never seen anything as effective as Chin’s Beard for making goons do what you wanted. Sure, sure, the leaves were good for some interesting visions, but they weren’t useful for much else.

After the Red Lotus killed the Earth Queen, it was good money for a while, but he was stagnating. It got hard to get good herbs, legal or illegal, for a while. He went to ground in Gaoling during Kuvira’s rule. It was quiet there, and he did a regular practice, hiding the waterbending and sticking to herbs. With a little sleight of hand and a lot of bluster, you could get patients to believe just about anything, and he made good coin there, just being legit.

But Republic City. It was like a city of gold. They’d never heard of him, he could blend right in, and he could shear those rich bastards like a pigsheep. Nobody dropped good money like a gullible old rich guy. And their wives were even better.

The Airbender restaurant was a stroke of genius, if he said so himself. It was the perfect place to hide all the money from the booming trade in Chin’s Beard and cactus juice. Mix in a little contraband from Ba Sing Se or Gaoling, and you could keep the cops confused for quite a while. Plus there were a lot of poor slobs here always looking to better themselves, and they made willing goons who’d do anything for a few yuans and a few more seeds.

And now he was almost done with the little clinic. Being seen with Kya tonight would certainly be a nice public relations move… one more step toward complete legitimacy. If she brought her mother, even better. What an endorsement that would be!

He smoothed his cravat. Head shaved, nice silk suit in earthbender colors.  _ Play it cool, fella… you got this. No one knows. You’re gonna pull this off. All of it. _


	16. Date Night

It took Kya no longer than usual to get ready for a special occasion: just the normal exasperatingly long time to choose a gown, fiddle with her hair, apply makeup she didn’t need.

Lin was ready in ten minutes. She had a new suit, of soft black velvet, with silver buttons at the collar and the cuffs. A crisp white shirt underneath was stark and striking. She ran a brush over her steel-colored hair, and she was done.

She watched Katara from the kitchen through the window, romping around with her young bison, teaching him, playing. She’d named him Bubu. The change in her … what should she call her? Mother-in-law? Lin could not suppress a smile at the notion. But the change in Katara since her race with Bumi, leading to the arrests of the “harvesters”, was striking. She had more energy, spoke more, laughed more. 

Lin hoped this change would last. Since Aang’s death Katara had been muted and passive. She remembered Katara from when she herself was a child, and admired her for her fire and passion, ready and willing to assist her mother Toph in some of the early incursions of Earth Kingdom nationalists. She recalled one time, when Katara was sparring with Aang and Toph, playing, but there was a light in her eyes and her long dark hair waved in the breeze. She was beautiful.

Kya was so like her mother: beautiful, and a fighter and a healer both. She could be forgiven for taking  _ forever _ to get ready… she was so wonderful to see when she dressed up. She was so wonderful to see at any time, in her usual dress, borrowing Lin’s sleeveless shirts, wearing nothing at all. 

This was a good line of thought to keep Lin distracted until Kya emerged from the bedroom, finally, at long last, ready to go. Her dress was a shimmering gown, sparkling, colored like sea ice, white at the top and becoming a greenish blue further down. Her arms were bare, and at her throat was a string of pearls. 

Lin inhaled deeply. What she loved about Kya was not her looks, but her heart; and yet the sight of her this way made her forget all the world.

Kya was similarly impressed. She eyed Lin up and down, sauntered over, and put her hands on Lin’s hips to pull her close.

“Now what do we do?” Kya asked, her voice low. “All of a sudden I want to get undressed again.”

“Can’t do that. We’ll be late.” Lin’s lips sought Kya’s, and they kissed.

“Mmm… so?”

“You made the date, not me,” Lin said.

Kya bowed her head. “Now I have regrets.”

Lin kissed the top of her head. “Come on… it’s just dinner. After that… we can do whatever you want.”

* * *

 

A taxi took them to the restaurant, and they looked at the brightly lit facade of the building with skepticism. Kya had been to the air temples, and this wasn’t anything like that. This building was ornate with symbols and heavily decorated with images of plants and flowers, but she knew that the architecture and culture of the actual Air Nomads was one of simplicity. This was completely overdone, an earthbender’s fanciful idea of airbenders.

They went inside, and it was an explosion of color. There were trees in giant pots, high walls festooned with paintings of mountains and colorful clouds, even a wall seemingly planted with flowering vines. A single great chandelier hung at the center, illuminating the place like the sun. 

Along the top border of the dining rooms was what appeared to be text in a foreign language. 

“I can’t read the old airbender script,” Kya observed, “but Tenzin does. I wonder if what’s written there actually means anything.”

Lin laughed. “Tenzin would know.”

“He’s teaching it to the new airbenders,” Kya said. “Dad would be proud. After the wars, that was the only thing that mattered to him, preserving the culture.”

“The only thing?”

“Well, okay, not the only thing. I mean, yeah, he focused a lot of his attention on Tenzin, but he was there for us when we really needed him most. He always said love was a form of energy, swirling all around us. It doesn’t go away; it takes new forms. And here I am, with you, and…”

“...now his love for you is in me.”

Kya’s eyes shone. She looked at Lin, took her hand, and pressed it. She nodded.

Out of nowhere Hao An approached, and greeted Kya with a handshake. “Kya! I’m so glad to see you! And who’s your guest?”

“Lin, this is Hao, from the clinic. Hao, this is Lin Beifong.”

“Lin… Beifong? Have we met?”

“Lin is Chief of Police. Maybe that’s where you’ve heard of her.”

Hao’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh, yes, of course! You see, I’ve only been in Republic City less than a year, and I do my best to stay out of the way of the police. I mean, I haven’t had any reason to talk to police, but...I fully support… Ah…” he laughed nervously. “I’m sorry… it’s been a hectic evening in the kitchen.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Doctor,” Lin said, cordially, and extended her hand. Her eyes were on him like a cat on a mousebeetle, but she smiled benignly. She was fully aware of Kya’s opinion of him, and she knew about the incident when he’d hit on her. 

“Come, come, have a seat. I have the best table for us.”

The spaces of the restaurant were designed to be on several levels, an echo of the platforms at some of the air temples. He led them up a rounding staircase to the highest level, with just a few tables, and a view over the whole of the restaurant. The lights were low and it would have been quite a romantic setting, if it weren’t the three of them.

He snapped his fingers and a young waiter was there, instantly. He muttered instructions to him, and the waiter scurried away.

“I really haven’t been able to learn much about whether or not the airbenders imbibed,” Hao said to Kya. “Did your father?”

“Not that I ever saw,” she said, trying to remember. “Do you, Lin? Remember seeing them drink?”

Hao interrupted. “You knew the previous Avatar?”

“My mother is Toph Beifong. I’m sure you know her name.” Lin replied. “Kya and I have known each other all our lives.”

“Childhood friends! That’s wonderful! And are you married? I understand Kya is not.”

Lin and Kya exchanged a quick look.

“No, no,” Lin said. “Until recently, my career has always come first. Though lately, I have been considering pursuing a relationship.” She squeezed Kya’s hand under the table. Kya took a sip of the wine, innocently.

“It’s a… nice wine,” Kya said. “But I’m pretty sure Dad didn’t really drink much. Uncle Sokka liked some kinds… cool, fruity beverages, mostly.”

“Fascinating. Sokka, and you’re mother’s Katara, correct? A very famous healer.”

Lin said, “She was a warrior first, really. Katara is still the best waterbender in the world. She learned healing afterward.”

Kya turned to Lin, overcome with emotion. It surprised her to hear Lin say this about her mother. Lin smiled tenderly at her.

“She’s like a mother to me, too,” she continued.

Hao was confused, and his brows furrowed as he struggled to understand the looks between the two of them. Lin tried to hide her amusement.

“Soooo…” he said, trying to move forward. “I spent some time in Gaoling. The Beifong name is well known there. The estate is abandoned, from what I hear. Do you know who owns it now?”

“I do. I’m turning it into a school for young women, in the tradition of Avatar Kyoshi. We intend to teach them self-defense and hopefully lift them out of poverty. I have plans for similar establishments in various places around the world, with the assistance of the Water Tribe and the Earth Republic provinces. Fire Lord Izumi has expressed interest in our model, adapted for the needs of the Fire Nation. With the help of various local governments and donors, of course.”

She eyed him carefully. “You seem to be very successful in your practice. Would you consider becoming a donor?”

He narrowed his own eyes. “I’m actually investing in a venture that should be of help around the world, myself,” he said. “Tan Pharmaceuticals is a startup business that’s going to produce my remedies and cures for a variety of illnesses. At a low cost, to make them available to everyone, of course. I could use other investors, for research and development. Maybe you’d like to see some literature? I can have some sent to you next week.”

“Certainly,” Lin said, coolly.

Almost invisibly, the waiter returned with plates of salad for each of them. 

“Is there a menu?” Kya asked. “How do we order?”

“I do know that airbenders usually ate communally, so we offer one main dish per evening, they way they might have done at the temples. It’s different from most other restaurants, but it’s been a hit with our customers so far. We try to make each evening a special thing, and in my opinion every dish is delicious, so I hope you’ll enjoy tonight’s selections. We’re having banana dumplings in an aromatic gravy with onions and chilies, served with rice, and of course fruit pies for dessert. They were famous for the fruit pies.”

“I know,” Kya said. “Dad made the best.”

“Well then, I hope these rise to your high standards,” Hao replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to check on things in the kitchen.”

“Of course,” Lin said.

When he was out of earshot, Kya leaned toward Lin. “What you said about Mom. That… that means so much to me.”

Lin took her hand again. “I mean it. She’s been so good to me. To us. I’m happy that she’s been so… herself again.”

“I know what you mean,” Kya chuckled. “Who’d have thought all she needed was a little danger to get her on her feet again!”

“Hopefully not too much more danger,” Lin laughed. “I nearly shattered the windows in my office when Mako told me. She really helped break open that case we’ve been working.”

“For real?”

“The people she caught by the portal are up to something to do with the Spirit World. We don’t know quite what yet, but they called themselves ‘harvesters’.”

“Going into the Spirit World to harvest what?”

“We haven’t figured that out yet, or why. Somehow it’s associated with some criminal named Soong Pak. Remember I told you it wasn’t like a triad thing? Just this one guy, Soong Pak, and he’s been very hard to catch. His goons are... “ she paused.

“What?”

“Well, his goons are always doped up with Chin’s Beard. At first, they were all fighters and ordinary street thugs. They were using the Beard to pump up their qi. We’d catch them dealing in stolen goods, and they’d always have that and cactus juice on them. They’d all roll on Soong Pak, but none of their descriptions of him matched.”

“You said they’d do anything he asked. The side effect of the seeds. He probably tells them that he looks a certain way, and that’s what they remember. No wonder the descriptions don’t match.”

Lin slapped her forehead. “That’s it! That’s gotta be it. I wonder… if we took all those descriptions, and figure out what he  _ didn’t _ look like…”

Kya smiled and waved her chopsticks. “That’s definitely a possibility.”

“But then there are the ‘harvesters’. They’re as scared of him as they are of the Spirits. They’re not like the usual thugs. They’re just. I don’t know, regular people. I think the only thing they have in common is that they didn’t like their jobs before Soong Pak contacted them.”

“How did you get them to tell you anything?”

“We had Bolin pretend he was Nuktuk. I guess people really take those movers seriously.”

Kya laughed hard. “The movers are fun, but they’re so stupid sometimes! You can always tell when Varrick was involved, because those are the craziest! Oh! Remember I told you about that girl, Jaidara? She wants to be a writer for movers!”

“I haven’t heard from Tok whether she came back. Tok would tell me, right?”

Kya nodded, her mouth full of salad.

“Too bad. She might have been able to tell us something about one of the harvesters. If my hunch is right, they approached her too.”

Hao returned, and took his seat. “Are you ladies enjoying things so far?”

“Oh, yes,” Lin said. At that moment, she felt Kya’s foot, out of her shoe, move up the back of her calf.

“Great salad,” Kya said, as Lin’s face turned pink.

* * *

Asami and Korra entered the restaurant first, to check on the reservation, but the rest of them were right behind them, Bolin and Opal, and then Mako and Jai. They were all laughing hard, an infectious laugh. As soon as one caught their breath, another would start, and they’d all fall victim to the hilarity again.

"But no, no,” Opal said, “Jai’s right! That’s an enormous plot hole! How did he get the truck? It just appeared, out in the middle of nowhere, and drove up on the beach?”

They’d just come from the mover theater, discussing the main feature of the matinee. 

“I don’t know!” Bolin cried, exasperated. “Does it matter? He defeated the giant demon hogmonkey, and got the girl, and that was the end! It was supposed to be a romance!”

Jai had tears streaming down her cheeks from laughter. Mako could hardly take his eyes off her. 

“Romance?” Korra gasped, her sides aching from giggles. “The girl fell out of a tower onto him! I thought it was an attack!”

“As old as that guy was, I would have attacked him too,” Asami added. “She’s only ‘the girl’ because she’s young enough to be his daughter. Who does the casting for this stuff, anyway?”

“Varrick,” Bolin said glumly. And then he cracked up himself.

They were led into the main dining area, and looked around the space, impressed. It was certainly unlike any other restaurant they’d ever been to. Opal caught sight of her aunt on the upper level, and waved.

Lin, Kya, and some man were high above them, and the two women waved back at the six young people who’d just entered.

They were seated, and a waiter took drink orders from them.

“Who’s that guy?” Bolin asked the others.

“Dunno,” Mako said.

Korra looked upward, squinting. “He seems familiar.”

“Kya’s dress is gorgeous,” Asami said. “And look at Lin! My my! He must be somebody important. But you’re right, Korra. He does seem familiar, doesn’t he?”

“Lin’s only got eyes for Kya,” Opal said, fondly. “I’m so happy for her.”

Mako turned to Jai, whose face was unsmiling and pale. 

“What’s wrong?”

She looked at him, and dropped her eyes, but this time it was clearly to hide her expression. When she looked back up, she was smiling again. “Nothing, nothing,” she said, and patted his hand.

“That’s Opal’s aunt Lin, the Police Chief. I work for her,” Mako said, unsettled.

“And that’s Kya. She’s Avatar Aang’s daughter, and one heck of a waterbender,” Bolin added. “And Tenzin’s sister.”

“And Tenzin is the leader of the airbenders,” Opal added.

“I’ve... I’ve met Kya,” Jai said. “She’s very nice.”

“Oh, you have?” Korra asked. "At the clinic?"

“Where I used to work.”

Asami sensed Jaidara’s discomfort. “She’s wonderful, yes. Hey look! Opal! Can you read that? Up there?”

They all craned their necks up toward the ceiling, where Asami had noticed the airbender script on the walls. Jai shot her a grateful look, and Asami smiled kindly.

“Potatoes… mix with onion… can’t figure that out... butter, maybe?… bake for two hours…”

“They have a recipe on the walls?” Korra snorted with laughter.

They all broke down into giggles, Jai with them. Mako was relieved. 

“Well,” Opal admitted, finally, when they’d gained their composure again, “almost no one knows the old airbender writing. I’m surprised you recognized it, Asami.”

“I think it’s beautiful,” she said. “I know I design a lot of machines and practical stuff, but I can appreciate beauty in other things, too.” She looked at Korra, eyelashes fluttering. Korra leaned over and kissed her cheek.

“Get a room!” Bolin teased. 

“Like you’ve got room to talk, loverboy,” Korra shot back, and bumped shoulders with him affectionately. Opal blushed but giggled.

“It seems Mako has some appreciation as well,” Asami observed, and he looked up, suddenly aware they were talking to him. He’d been focused on Jai. She blushed again, eyes downward.

He didn’t hesitate. “She is beautiful. Very. But better than that, she’s very smart.”

Everyone murmured their assent to this.

“To brains and beauty,” Opal said, raising her glass, and they joined her in the toast.

* * *

“That’s Jaidara!” Kya whispered to Lin. “There, with Mako.”

Lin glanced down. “You were right. She is a beautiful girl.”

“Should we say anything?”

“No,” Lin said. “I’m going to trust Mako on this. He’ll know if she’s up to anything suspicious. And if she’s not, let’s not spoil their fun.”

They returned their attention to dinner, which was just served, and as promised, it was quite unusual and delicious.

“I’ve got to give you credit, Hao. It’s like Dad’s cooking, but different. But it definitely has something going for it.”

He beamed. “That’s the best compliment I’ve heard all day.”

They continued to eat, but after a short while, Kya put her chopsticks down. “I feel weird,” she announced.

“Oh dear,” Hao said. “Weird how?”

“Lightheaded. Dizzy.”

Lin was instantly worried. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.”

“Let me take you to the kitchen. Sometimes people have odd reactions to some of the spices we use, and I know just what to give you to help.”

“Are you sure, Doctor?”

“It’s okay, Lin. He’s probably right. It’s just something new in the meal that I’m not used to.”

Lin was hesitant, but Kya seemed to be confident in Hao’s abilities, so she stood, and took Kya’s arm.

At that moment, outside, there was the sound of a large explosion that rattled the windows.

“Take care of her,” Lin commanded, and jumped over the railing to the upper level.

Mako, Bolin and Korra were on their feet in an instant. They saw Lin coming down from above and stick a perfect landing in front of them. “Let’s go,” she said.

Opal was up too, now, and followed behind.

Jai sat there, terrified and helpless. Asami came around the table and put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry,” she said. “This is what we do. Now listen. We’re going to go find out what’s going on. Wait here for us. If we’re not back in ten minutes, pay for the meal and take a taxi home, and we’ll come back for you later. I’m so sorry.”

She handed Jaidara several hundred yuan of paper bills. It was more money than she’d ever seen in her whole life.

And then Asami too was out the front door.

* * *

The other patrons of the restaurant were in an uproar, but once Lin and the others had left they realized that they were in no immediate danger. There was loud conversation, as everyone reassured each other that things were safe, and eventually the crowd settled down, with relieved laughter.

Jai looked at the cash in her hands. She could easily get up and go, pack a bag and be gone, forgetting her mother’s tears, her sister’s terrors, and all those troubles, leaving it all behind her.

But she couldn’t. She couldn’t do that to her sister, or to her mother. Or to Mako. He’d been everything every other man in her life had failed to be: respectful, responsible, gentle.

These new, extraordinary friends… they’d accepted her, so quickly, and so completely! All of them, so kind...

Suddenly she remembered Kya, and looked up. She and the man were gone.

Jaidara looked around, aghast. She stuffed the money down the front of the dress underneath her red cloak, and bolted for the door. 

A crowd had gathered in the street, but there was nothing to be seen in this block or the next. She ducked down an alley next to the restaurant, and through it onto the next block.

It was a tall building, unmarked, but she knew it, because she’d been in it earlier in the week. She’d been wearing that ridiculous dress in the cold, applying for a job to keep an eye on Jun, and find out what was happening to her. Tan Pharmaceuticals was housed in this building. 

In the darkness next to it was another alley, the extension of the one she’d come through. A figure bearing something large was opening a side door. It had to be Supak Tan, and that had to be Kya. She’d recognized the creep, despite the shaved head and the false nose. Those cold, heartless eyes she’d recognized, not earthbender green, nor waterbender blue, nor firebender hazel. They were some strange muddy color, like swamp water.

Not everyone remembered the color of other people’s eyes; Jaidara had always made a point of it. It required looking at someone directly, which was a good way to break down their walls, so they’d tell her their story; or it could make them uncomfortable, which was good to know, in case she needed to coax them out their shell, or determine if they were lying. With Supak Tan, she’d noticed them right away. He looked back at her just as directly, but ominously. It was like he’d assaulted her with his gaze, and afterward she felt as nasty as if he’d licked her. 

She could hardly forget them.

Jai was alone. She was not a bender. There was nothing she could do on her own. She knew where Kya was, and she had to let Mako know as soon as she could.

Hurrying back to the restaurant, she went inside and saw that the table had been cleared. She went to the maitre’d and apologized for leaving, and with relief he found the bill for her table, and she settled with him.

Outside she hailed a taxi, and headed for home. She had to trust that Asami was right, and they’d come back for her.


	17. The Demon in Black

“Nobody!” shouted Bolin.

“All clear over here!” Mako called.

“Or here!” Opal shouted.

“We’re clear here too!” Korra’s voice added to the shouts.

The five young friends and Lin searched through the rubble of the building, but it was simply a gutted old three-story, with an abandoned shop and apartments.

Asami waved a hand. “Over here!”

The team assembled where Asami had stopped. The twisted remnant of a gas tank lay in the center of the empty building.

“Why would somebody bomb an empty building?” she asked.

Lin’s eyes went wide, and her body chilled. “It’s a diversion,” she said, almost to herself.

“You! Get airborne! Get back to the restaurant and see if you can see that girl or Kya!” she pointed at Opal, who nodded and leapt into the air, the sleeves of her dress seconding as a wingsuit.

“We need to get back there and find Kya. She’s been taken,” she said, hoarsely.

“How do you know?” asked Korra.

“The bomb went off right after she started to feel sick, and that creep Doctor Hao offered to take her into the kitchen.”

“Spirits!” Asami hissed. “Korra, he was the man from that party! Supak Tan! The jerk with the pharma company!”

By now Lin was already running back, and Mako and Bolin were not far behind her. They were two blocks down and one block over, not far, but after the search through the destroyed building, many more than ten minutes had passed, and Jai would surely be gone.

Mako asked, breathlessly, as they were running, “What girl?”

“Your girlfriend,” Lin panted. “Worked at Kyoshi Island. Delivery man. Harvester.”

Mako almost stopped running. He understood now her reluctance to tell him about herself and her job. She knew Kya, but not from the clinic. But he could not believe the sweet, smart girl that he was falling in love with was involved with criminals. There was no way.

As for Lin, memories of Kya’s kidnapping at the hands of a filthy abuser who’d injured her and left her to die in the desert flashed in her mind. That sense of loss and terror was as fresh now as it had been then. She doubled down and bolted forward, toward the airbender restaurant.

Korra had picked up Asami in her arms, and with firebending had jetted them back to the front of the well-lit building.

“Wait!” she shouted, as they landed on the ground. “It’s been too long. They’re not going to be here.” Asami dashed off to her car.

“How...do we...find them?” Bolin asked, gasping for air.

Opal emerged from the restaurant. “She’s taken a taxi. The maitre’d just said she ran off after we did, but then came back and paid the bill.”

“She knows,” Mako said.

Asami pulled up with the Satomobile. “Let’s roll.”

* * *

Jai came into the apartment. Her mother was not there. Her sister, Jun, sat curled in a chair, wrapped in a blanket, listening to a radio. 

“You’re awake?”

Her sister grunted and curled deeper into the blanket. 

It had been some time since Jun had been lucid while Jaidara was home. Either she was gone, off at that… that “job”...  or she was in their room, hallucinating, or sleeping. 

“Where’s Mama?”

“Factory. Night shift.”

“We have to talk. What’s happening to you?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t give me that! This is the first time i’ve seen you in your right mind for days! Screaming about spirits, or gone! Mama’s heart is breaking over you!”

Jun said nothing, but turned her face away, so that it was buried in the back of the armchair.

“You have to tell me what’s going on. Some bad things are going down, right now, and people are going to get very, very hurt if we don’t stop it.”

“There’s nothing I can do.”

“What do you know? Tell me!”

“I can’t tell you!” Jun shouted at her. There was a banging on the wall of the apartment. “They’ll know,” she said, more quietly.

“Who? The spirits?”

She turned her face away again. This conversation was not working. Jai was stumped.

She tried again. “The guy you work for. Supak Tan. What does he do?”

“I don’t know. I’m just a secretary,” Jun mumbled.

“You answer the phones? Who calls him? What does he say in the letters you type for him?”

Jun began to sob.

Jai remembered the awful way she’d felt just during the interview with Tan. What  _ was _ he having Jun do?

“Does he make you… do things?”

Barely perceptibly, Jun nodded. Then she turned her face away again.

Jai’s heart ached. Her little sister deserved better than that piece of scum on her.

“Why? Why do you do it?”

Jun turned and looked at Jai with a horrifying coldness. “You think you’re so much better than us, gonna be a writer. Big fucking deal. You just work at a bar. You’re too good to work at the factory with Mama and me? I can get a better job too. He pays me good. The work is fine. I do what he tells me and everything’s fine.”

“You’re hallucinating whenever you get home. What’s going on? What’s he giving you?”

“It’s none of your fucking business.”

“Where did you learn this language? Do you talk like this in front of Mama?” Jai was disgusted and angry now. Supak Tan was ruining her family.

She strode through the living room and into the bedroom she’d shared with Jun, up until the hallucinations started. She started tearing the dressers open, searching.

Jun was up and into the bedroom in seconds, pulling at Jai. “Stop! Stop it!”

Jai shrugged her off, pushing her away. She continued to fling clothing onto the floor, emptying out the drawers.

Jun knocked her over, and jumped on top of her, striking at her face. Jai rolled and curled up, protecting herself from the blows. 

There was a banging on the door of the apartment. Mako was outside, calling for her. “Jai! Jai, are you in there?”

Jun leapt up. “Who’s out there?”

“My boyfriend. He’s a cop.”

Jun’s face was ashen. The banging on the front door continued. Yelling from the neighbors started, shouting for quiet.

Jai got up, and stepping past her sister, went and opened the door.

Mako was there, his face lined with concern. He could see the marks her sister had left on her face. “Jai, are you all right? What’s going on?”

“My sister’s been working for Supak Tan. He’s been doping her with something. I don’t know what.”

Jun shamefacedly stood in the bedroom doorway. Mako straightened and looked at her. He looked back at Jai, his face inscrutable. Then he slowly walked into the bedroom and looked at the disarray.

“Someone we know is in big trouble right now. We need your help. What was it that this Supak guy was giving you?”

Jun crumpled onto her knees, her face in her hands. “Chin’s Beard,” she choked.

Jai was at his elbow, pulling. “Mako, he took Kya. He took her into his offices! We have to go!”

Mako turned back to Jun. “We’re going to send someone to help you. Stay here. Don’t go anywhere. Understand?”

Jun nodded, not uncovering her face.

He took Jai’s hand, and pulled her out the door, and they hustled down the stairwell and out into the street. Asami’s car was there, revving.

It was a tight fit. Lin was squashed in the center of the back seat, next to Bolin, so Jai sat in Mako’s lap, her arms wrapped around him. Korra rode shotgun, and Opal circled overhead. Asami popped the clutch, and the vehicle leapt forward, back towards where they’d last seen Kya.

“It’s the building in the block just behind the restaurant,” Jai said. “I went down the alley and saw someone carrying something big go in a side door. I knew it was him. I recognized his eyes.”

“Asami and I did too, finally,” Korra said, reassuringly. “That guy needs to go down.”

“He’s ruining my family. My sister’s hooked on Chin’s Beard.”

Mako finally made the connection. “Supak Tan is Soong Pak.”

“And Doctor Hao is Supak Tan,” Jai said.

“Then we need to be very careful,” Lin replied. “That building could be guarded by thugs with enhanced bending power.”

“No wonder we couldn’t figure out what he looked like!” Bolin exclaimed. “He was wearing disguises!”

“And probably telling people under the influence to remember him some other way,” Lin growled. 

The car approached the tall building that Jai pointed to, and parked halfway down the block. They drew up quietly to the side door, but it was locked. Lin touched the handle, and with a movement of her fingers, metalbent the lock. With a slight creak she pulled the door open, and the team slipped inside, one by one. 

“Jai, wait here,” Mako pleaded.

“No.” She was up, ready to go. “This is personal.”

Mako knew better than to argue with a strong-willed woman. He’d already dated two of the strongest. Even though Jai wasn’t a bender, she was going to be able to help them somehow.

Jai had had a building tour during her interview, so she had a very basic grasp of the layout of the building. “I think his offices are on the top floor. If I had to guess, he’d take her up there.”

“Wait, though,” Asami said. “Think a second. Why would he kidnap Kya?”

Silence fell over the group. A sickening understanding of the possibilities came to them. Soong Pak was harvesting something from the Spirit World. Under his aliases he was an herbalist and ran a pharmaceutical company. How did his medicines get so successful? How did he test Spirit World herbs? And he’d made inappropriate advances to Asami and Korra, as well as Kya, and he’d raped Jai’s sister. Each imagined terrible things.

Lin felt the anger swelling in her. She had a duty to arrest the man and bring him in alive, but there was a part of her that wanted to crush the life from him. She’d wanted to leave Kya’s first kidnapper and Nuying’s abusive husband to die out in the desert sun, but relented. She hoped she would have sufficient self-control to do her job. If he’d hurt Kya in any way, there was no telling what she’d do.

She headed for the stairwell. “We have to search. Be quiet, and be careful.”

They proceeded, floor by floor, in an agonizing slow search, with no success. There was no noise or light in any of the offices on the first several floors. 

Two stories from the top, they heard people talking. Men’s voices. Security guards.

They slipped in the stairwell door, and were on the floor, surrounding the office where the light and voices were coming from. Four giant men were bent near a radio, listening to a pro-bending match.

At Lin’s signal, they attacked. She metalbent the steel-framed chairs around the legs of two of them, while Bolin cuffed one with some stone that he’d scraped out of the concrete floor. Korra took the water from a janitor’s wheeled bucket, and froze the fourth to his chair.

The guards were surprised, but not silent for long, and with a shout they called for backup. Other men, who’d been up in the hallway of the top floor, descended into the area. One flung a fireball at Opal, who dove and rolled underneath it, and blasted the beefy hulk into the one behind him. Asami zapped the one behind, diving and hitting his leg with her Equalist glove, and the contact between the two guards left them both disarmed and groaning.  But the other guards were busy blasting fire and stones back, and Korra, Bolin and Mako were occupied.

Lin stood in front of Jai, ready to fire, but the two stayed out of the main battle while they headed for the stairs up to the last floor, and Soong Pak’s office. 

“There,” Jai said, pointing at the great wooden doors with their impressive brass handles

Lin kicked it in. Soong Pak was there, shirt off, and Kya was kneeling on the cushions of the dais, directly in front of him. His hands were on her shoulders.

Lin roared, a sound of pure rage. A massive, razor-edged chunk of the marbled wall tore off, and she flung it towards him.

He dived behind Kya onto the cushions as the marble crashed into the wall behind him, and screamed, “There! The demon in black! It’s coming for you!”

Kya rose to her feet and assumed a fighting stance. 

Lin called out, “Kya! Are you all right?”

Suddenly, Lin felt a constriction that she’d only felt one other time in her life.

Jai screamed as she saw Lin rise into the air, her face contorted with pain, her eyes bulging. 

The rest of the team scuttled up the stairs. They’d managed to immobilize the guards, and were terrified to hear Jai screaming. They burst into the room and saw Kya’s hands outstretched, fingers tensed into claws, and Lin hovering, arms at her sides, immobilized. 

Bloodbending. 

There was a nauseating crunching sound as one of Lin’s bones gave way to the pressure of Kya’s bending, qi enhanced by the Beard, her mind lost under the influence of the drug.

Korra, almost without thinking, sent a powerful blast of air at Kya, who tumbled across the cushions and smacked into the far wall. Soong Pak was up, scrambling for the door discreetly hidden in the back wall’s paneling. He jerked the door open, and was forced to stop.

Jun blocked the doorway. She was scratched and dirty. She’d fought her own way up here, up the back stairs. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Pak shouted. “Get out of my sight!”

Jun made a shoving motion, her wrists together, and Soong Pak was struck by a twisting bar of flame. He screamed shrilly as his silk suit caught, and he was silhouetted by bright fire all around his body.

Mako leapt forward with a pulling gesture, squelching the flames. Soong Pak was burned badly, charred in places, his face an unrecognizable mess. He shrieked in agony again and again.

“Water!” Korra shouted. “Where’s some water?”

Opal dashed toward the bar, with its selection of high-priced liquors. There was a tap there, and she hurriedly twisted the faucet handles open wide. 

Korra moved the water from the faucet in a stream over to the burned body of Soong Pak. She covered him in a film of liquid, and applied her energy to begin healing him. Soon the shrieking stopped, and he sank into a low, continuous moan.

“We’re going to need to get healers here. Lin, can you walk?”

With Bolin’s assistance, Lin rose from the floor, clutching at her upper right arm. It hung at a bad angle, the bone broken in more than one place from the power of Kya’s bending. She coughed, and her mouth was rimmed with blood. Bolin eased her back down onto the satin cushions, and Korra rushed over. She hurriedly applied the water to Lin’s arm and chest, and in a minute or two the bone was set, imperfectly, but adequately. Lin's breathing eased.  
  
“I wish Katara was here,” Korra apologized.

Mako was on Soong Pak’s phone, calling out for assistance. The guards would have to be questioned, and Jun was going to have to be taken into custody. Soong Pak appeared to no longer be a threat to anyone.

Jaidara clung to her sister, who wept on her knees by the room’s back door. They rocked together.

Bolin and Opal were over at the wall as well, examining Kya.

“Is she...?” Lin began. Her voice was awful, small and weak. She could hardly comprehend what had happened.  


“She’s not coming to,” Opal said, worriedly. “I didn’t think she hit her head. Did she?”

“No,” Korra said. “She hit mostly with her side. I really tried just to push her away.” 

Kya lay on the cushions, limp, seemingly lifeless. Korra put her ear to Kya’s lips, and could feel and hear breathing. She put a hand on her, and felt her heart beating slowly. The Avatar’s eyes glowed briefly.

“She’s alive… but in the Spirit World, I think.” Korra said, solemnly.


	18. Adventure (or, She Did WHAT?!)

"Well, I think that's everything," she said, checking the knots on the bags. She stroked the young bison's soft fur, and climbed up into the saddle.

"Are you ready, Bubu? Ready for an adventure? Yeah, buddy? Okay then!”

She took a deep breath, and looked up into the night sky.

“Yip yip!"


	19. What Now?

Soon the place was bustling. Police and medical personnel arrived, and Soong Pak’s security guards were cuffed and stuffed, and carted off to holding. Soong Pak himself was put on a stretcher, after another waterbending healer arrived to treat him a little more thoroughly than Korra had been able to do, and taken to a hospital.

Lin was in tremendous pain, and everyone knew it. After her question, she did not speak again, but rather gestured with her good arm, until Opal came and sat down by her, and took her hand. After that, she lay with her eyes closed, breathing, slowly and steadily, concentrating on it.

“If we take Kya out of here, will she be able to find her way back?” Asami asked.

“She should. Jinora’s spirit was able to find her way to the White Lotus compound after she helped me defeat Unalaq,” Korra replied, "And hopefully it will be easier than then, too."

Mako gestured for them to come over to the desk. He said in a low voice, “I can’t locate Katara. She isn’t answering the phone at their house, and nobody’s seen her on Air Temple Island.”

“Oh spirits! I hope something hasn’t happened to her too!” Asami whispered.

“Bolin can go out to their house and see if she’s okay.”

“We’ll stay here, then, until we find her,” Korra said. “But what about them?” She gestured slightly to the two sisters, who were huddled in a corner.

“I don’t know. Her sister… I don’t know. Did she plan to kill him? If it’s premeditated…” Mako frowned, and closed his eyes. “I don’t wanna do what I gotta do.”

Korra put a hand on his arm. “You gotta do the right thing, Mako. Find out what happened.”

Asami nodded. “Talk to her.”

Resolved, he went over to the two sisters. Jai stood, putting herself between him and Jun. “She wants to get out of here,” she said. “This place. It’s where he...took advantage of her.”

Mako swallowed hard. “We have to go down to police headquarters. She has to be booked.”

Jai was furious. “Why? She took down your bad guy! If it’d been you, you’d have got a promotion or a medal or something!”

“Did she come here with the intent to kill him? That’s attempted murder, Jai. No matter what he did, if she planned to kill him, I have to arrest her.”

Jaidara’s eyes were shining with tears, and she pounded his chest in frustration. “No! That’s not right! That’s not fair! She didn’t do anything wrong! He poisoned her! He raped her!”

Mako was torn, and her tears made his heart ache. No, it wasn’t right. It was horrible thing he had to do. What would Lin do? Would Lin have her taken into custody, after all this?

He cast his eyes over to Lin, who lay on the cushions next to Kya. Both of them were obvious victims of Soong Pak. Technically, under the law, Kya should be tried for bloodbending. What _would_ Lin do? Oh, spirits! What would Lin do _to him_ , if he arrested Kya?

“Okay, I won't. But we do need to find out why she was here, and what he’s done. We have to at least take a statement from her.”

Jaidara buried her face in his jacket, and he put his arms around her. She was doing for her sister what he’d have done for Bolin, what Lin would likely do for Kya. He knew what the right thing to do was, after all.

“Take her home. Make sure she stays there. I know I can trust you.”

Jai pulled away and nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. He looked into them, those dark, lovely eyes, and she returned the look, unflinching. The desire to kiss her swept him, but this was not the time or place.

“Should I have an officer take you?” Mako asked.

“Oh!” Jai said, remembering. She moved to Asami, and pulled the remainder of her money from inside her dress.

“Here’s the rest,” she said.

Mako knew then that he really could trust her, completely.

* * *

 The healer who had arrived with the police warned Mako that Lin should be transferred to a hospital. Her internal injuries were serious. Her lungs had suffered damage from the bloodbending, and she would need to be watched for blood clots or pneumonia. If Katara could be found, she might be able to heal her best; it was a delicate situation.

“Where should we take Kya, then?” Asami asked.

“I say Air Temple Island,” Korra said, “so we can be there to help guide her back, if necessary.”

There was a croak from the cushions. Lin had heard them, and was protesting the suggestion.

“Aunt Lin, you can’t stay here. You need to go to the hospital!” Opal insisted.

She closed her eyes, but tears slid out anyway. She reached over for Kya’s hand, searching blindly.

“She doesn’t want to be separated,” Asami whispered to Korra.

“I know how she feels,” Korra answered.

Mako came back in the room. “Bolin says Katara isn’t home. They pounded on the doors and went around back, but the house is dark.”

“Well that’s just weird,” Korra said. “And not good. I don’t understand.”

“She knew Kya and Lin might be out late, and she’s been playing around with that little bison that took a liking to her,” Opal offered. “You don’t suppose she went out on some kind of adventure?”

“Katara? At her age?” Asami asked.

“Lin said not to underestimate her because of her age. She’s still the best waterbender there is,” Mako said.

“Maybe it’s best to take them both to the hospital, then,” Asami suggested. “We can always get Katara there, when we find her.”

“I hope she’s not too long,” said Opal, frowning with worry.


	20. A Strange Place

It seemed like night, but then again like none she’d ever seen. Rather than a blue-black sky full of stars, it was a deep purple. It did seem like the end of a day, however, with the low light, and the great calm all around. Resting felt like the best idea ever. It was more peaceful here than almost anywhere she’d ever been. She felt good… better than she had in many years.

She looked to her side for Lin, but she wasn’t there. This wasn’t Republic City. She wasn’t clear where it was.

Kya lay back on the soft grass, stretching out, relaxed, but trying to remember how she got here. A brief ugly memory went through her mind, of a huge, dark demon with vicious red eyes coming at her, and how she tried to keep it away, until a great wind blew, and she rolled out of consciousness. And now she was here.

She wished Lin were there, or Mom, or anyone; it was so unusual and awe-inspiring. Lights fluttered beneath dark blue trees, flying creatures illuminating the gloom.

She felt safe, but she knew she hadn’t been. Memories were just not happening, at least not recent ones. She remembered coming home from dinner on the Island, and being alone with Lin, in her arms in their living room, talking on the sofa. She couldn’t remember what they’d talked about, but the emotions were there; gratitude, concern, affection. 

Where was Lin? Was she safe? Kya wasn’t so sure about that. Other memories were drifting up… anger and embarrassment, resentment, and fear. There was a beautiful, dark-eyed girl… who was that? Mom and a young bison. A young bison? What?

Tok had told her to kiss and make up. She’d had a fight with Lin? But Kya was now remembering, very clearly, how they’d made up; she could see the midmorning light on Lin’s skin; that skin under her hands, soft, but the muscles so powerful; a thousand kisses; her mouth open and eyes closed; tasting Lin’s tang as she came on Kya’s tongue.

Now this place looked less peaceful and more strange. Her mind wasn’t working, and something was definitely wrong. She wasn’t wherever this was by choice.

The memory of that exchange of physical pleasure, the great satisfaction that went with making her lover tremble with ecstasy, overlaid with the emotions of love and trust... it was giving way to a sense that she had hurt Lin, and badly. She’d made Lin afraid—no, terrified—and she knew somehow that she had done something awful to her, made her suffer physically. A smell of blood came into her mind, and Kya suddenly stood, frantic.

Where the hell was she? What was this place?

The deep purple skies above clouded, becoming streaked with black.

The land was pathless. It was open country, but there were no roads or buildings. It was neither warm nor cold.  Suddenly she realized that “feeling good” actually felt more like “feeling nothing”.

Kya realized that she was in the spirit world, and that her body was somewhere else.

She was dead?

She’d been in the spirit world before, but that time she’d come through the South Pole portal, with her material body. She looked around for water to bend, and without moving she was suddenly at the side of a stream. Kya moved through her forms, and nothing happened. She had no bending.

How had she come to be here?

How could she get back?

_ Could _ she get back?

She felt fear rise within her, and the skies darkened further. Kya noticed movement in the corner of her eye, and glanced left and right, but saw nothing. She felt she was being watched, and started walking along the edge of the stream, not sure where it would lead, but anywhere would be better than where she was.

Now she heard rustling, and she started to walk faster. Something was following. She kept up a brisk pace for a while, but the rustling did not stop. Yet, when she wheeled around, there was nothing there. The faster she went, the more persistent the sound was, until she was running, and there was a clear sound of footsteps behind her. To her sides there were now tall fields of reeds, the stream was becoming marshy, and the sky was becoming quite dark. She felt as though she would trip at any second.

Near terror, Kya turned back, fists clenched in anger, and shouted, “Stop following me!” 

Her voice was odd… it sounded so young! She looked at her hands… the wrinkles and spots of age were gone, and the tone of her skin was smooth and fresh.

Bewildered, she looked up and around. Why would she appear young again? But it did feel much like she’d felt when she’d first left home to travel the world. She remembered times walking alone through strange forests, looking for the next village. Sometimes the dark alone was enough to instill this fear.

She reached up to her throat, and felt the betrothal necklace Dís had given her. But how? That belonged to Lin now!

Spirit world shenanigans, she thought, and the notion made her laugh. She leaned over to look at her reflection in the stream, and indeed, her hair was as dark as it had been when she was a teenager. Overhead a ray of light broke through the gloom. 

She sat down in the lotus position, and tried to clear her mind. If the emotions she felt were being reflected in the environment around her, then being at peace would be the best way to figure out where she should go next. With patience and persistence, maybe she could find the portal and get back, or learn from the spirits who lived here how she could return to her body.

It occurred to her then, as she relaxed and let her fears go, that there was something else she could do. She was in the spirit world, as a spirit, and this is what she’d been trying to do with the Breath of the Phoenix, at the full moon… this was her chance, now. She would find Dad, tell him about Lin, and then she could figure out how to get back to her, and set right whatever was wrong.

She had to get back to Lin, of course. She knew somehow that she wasn’t done living, and if that was true, then by the spirits she wasn’t done living with Lin.


	21. Expect the Unexpected

She'd never been here. All those years married to the Avatar, the bridge to the Spirit World, but this was her first time actually being here.

It was strange and beautiful. The colors and shapes of the landscape, mountains and hills and forests, weird plants and rocks, and the spirits themselves, were so different from the human world, the only one she'd ever known.

Katara had lived long. Very long. She'd seen things most people living now had not. She'd witnessed the transformation of the world from war to peace. She'd been there when Republic City was still Dao Le, and troubled by the conflicts of Fire Nation colonists and Earth Kingdom loyalists, but also between those who'd intermarried, and created a new kind of place in the world. She saw a world of ostrich horses and elemental bending become a world of steam, oil and electricity. There didn't seem to be any stopping the changes, either.

She didn't regret anything. She’d played a role in those changes, and many were for the better. There was still suffering in the world, but she’d helped people, more than she could remember. She could take pride in that. And in her children, continuing to work for peace and balance.

Bubu sailed gracefully through the pink skies, aimless, enjoying flight for the pleasure of it.

To a certain extent, she also felt the pleasure of being a little… naughty? She’d told no one of her plan to come visit the spirit world. Certainly Tenzin would have thrown a fit. Kya might have been supportive, but she might not. And who knows what Bumi might have thought? They’d all have advised against it. They’d have insisted on coming along, at least.

And yes, she knew it was forbidden to enter, which is why guards had been posted for so long. She defended the portal, and smiled to herself that she was breaking the same rules. Hopefully coming back out wouldn’t land her in too much trouble with Lin.

But what’s an adventure without a little risk? she thought. It had been so long, and she felt so good lately, taking risks, being active. If Zuko and Toph could still fight, so could she. She didn’t need a babysitter.

She missed her brother, and Aang, but she was sure they would have approved.

Bubu landed on a high cliff overlooking a broad valley. Overhead the sky was bright, but in the distance it looked like a storm was brewing. Dark clouds swirled over a marshy basin. It was a breathtaking view, and the vast openness felt like an invitation.

This stony outcrop was wide enough to rest on, and she climbed off Bubu. She removed his saddle and he shook himself, smoothing the fur.

“Go play, buddy, while I rest. I’ll give you a melon when you get back.”

The fuzzy beast nuzzled her but then rose into the air, rolling and rumbling in his deep call. He dove down to the valley, to a stand of blue trees not far from a shining stream.

She laid out some blankets and a bedroll, and sat back against the wall, watching.

Bubu flew with the joy of living that young creatures have, spinning and rolling, climbing high and diving. Katara was so glad the bison had become attached to her… he was gentle as Appa, and clearly understood her as well as Appa had understood Aang. When he had frolicked above the valley for a while, he returned to her, and she shared the melon with him, as promised. Then he lay down, and she leaned into his warm, soft fur, and they slept.

* * *

Katara’s nose was being tickled. She woke, and pulled away from Bubu’s fur.

Just off the edge of the cliff, a large dragon hovered, and its wide wings made Bubu’s fur wave in its breeze.

While overall it seemed like a shiny white, the feathers were prismatic, and their sheen shifted colors as they moved. It was an impressive creature.

“Wow,” she breathed.

“Human,” it growled, “You do not belong here.”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous!” she snapped. “Why not?”

“Humans belong in the human world. The spirits have endured too many humans in our world of late. You must leave.”

“That’s nonsense.”

The dragon was not expecting this reaction from a human, clearly, because it seemed at a loss for words.

“You spirits,” Katara continued, “have no problem popping up in our world, acting all high and mighty, and causing all sorts of problems. Don’t think I’ve forgotten the mess Heibei made of the forest village.”

“That… was… “ the dragon began.

“What, a long time ago? Pssht. I’m not that old. Age is just a state of mind. And anyway, the spirits and the vines in Republic City right now? How would you feel if we kicked them out?”

The dragon protested, “You humans are all the same! Greedy and power seeking! You will ruin the spirit world if you come here!”

“Yeah, yeah. Wan Shi Tong said the same thing more than sixty years ago. He was full of it then, too. ‘He-Who-Knows-Ten-Thousand-Things,’ my ass! If you spirits are so smart and powerful, how come you can’t tell one human from another, huh? ‘You humans are all the same,’ you all say, but Mister Smart-Owl couldn’t understand that we were trying to keep balance in our own world, and we weren’t even thinking about the spirit world! Besides which, where’d he get off putting that library out in the human world anyway, huh?”

Abashed, the dragon sank briefly.

“And in case you forgot, it’s a human that saved you from ten thousand years of darkness. Would you rather have Vaatu running your world right now, Miss Fancyfeathers?”

The dragon swirled in the air, embarrassed, its plumage gleaming.

“I brought my own food, and my own shelter. We’re just sightseeing. We’re not going to mess up the spirit world, so just leave us be.”

“But what about the humans who have been taking our food?” the dragon whined.

“What food? I don’t know anything about that.”

“A human came just days ago, and stole mushrooms from our forest. The food of the spirits is sacred, and should not be eaten by humans.”

“For your information, I was on the outside of the portal, trying to stop that human. We didn’t catch him, but we were working on your behalf. Hmpf. That’s gratitude for ya.”

The dragon flew off some distance, and sat atop a nearby peak, ruffling. It was clearly confused.

“Oh, come back here,” Katara yelled. “I’m sorry!”

The dragon flapped over, and landed on the ledge. “I too am sorry, human. I have misjudged you.”

She laughed. “Humans and spirits have that in common. You just have to have a little compassion, is all. My name is Katara.”

The dragon’s eyes went wide. “The mighty Katara?”

She blanched. How could this dragon know?

“Wait here,” the dragon said, and leapt skyward. In seconds it was gone from sight.

* * *

Katara had fallen asleep again, and when she woke, the sky was a deep purple. The storm over the marsh was gone.

As far as she could tell, there was neither sun nor moon in the spirit world, only a shift in color from bright to dim. She marveled at the sky and its strange, new hue.

Off in the distance, she saw a speck in the air. Perhaps it was her dragon friend, returning.

It grew closer, slowly, and then she saw that it was not one speck, but two. In a few minutes more, the specks became recognizable, but she rubbed her eyes, not understanding what she was seeing.

And then, finally, they arrived. Appa landed on the platform, and riding between his huge horns was Aang.

He hopped up off Appa and floated down, as he had done from the very first time she’d met him. Her heart was pounding. When he landed, he opened his arms, and she ran to him.

They kissed, and she trembled. This couldn’t possibly be real. Aang was gone, dead. _When you’re dead, that’s it, right?_

She drew back and stared at him, disbelieving. "How are you here?"

"As long as you love me, I still exist, because there was never a difference between you and me. We are part of the same whole. The energies of love that everyone has for me create and sustain what you think of as me. I was reborn in Korra, and I am part of her, but she too is part of me. It's all one big thing.

"The energy of love is part of one big…everything… and we're inseparable and indivisible. I'm as much a part of you as you are of me; the difference between us has always been an illusion. The division between us at death is also an illusion."

"Just like pants," Katara laughed.

"Just like pants," Aang said, his face radiant. He was filled with light.

"I didn't fear to let you go, because there was never any letting go to do. You were in me. You are and will always be a part of me. You know what I mean? The body… bodies come and go. Energies mix and swirl and mingle with other energies, but they're all part of the whole too.

"It's hard to understand. Even now I can only barely grasp it. It's weird being reborn, but still being me," he said. "Maybe someday the understanding will come, and I'll be able to not be me anymore, but just One."

Katara frowned, because this was indeed terribly hard to understand.

He lifted her chin. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “It is what it is. We’ll figure it out.”

She fell into his arms again, and the tears of joy fell.

“Come on,” he said. “We have a little trouble to sort out.” He took her hand and led her up to Appa, and she took huge armfuls of him in her arms, still weeping. He helped her climb up, but the years had fallen away from her, and she felt as new as she had when they were fresh in their love.

Rising from the cliff, with Bubu following, they moved out and descended into the valley below.


	22. Give Me the Simple Life

_What a rotten date that was,_ Mako thought despondently.

Light was now entering the sky. Dinner had been reserved for seven, but they hadn’t had the chance to eat at the restaurant, and he hadn’t had anything but fire flakes at the movers. He was exhausted and hungry and depressed.

Lin and Kya were taken to a nearby hospital, and officers were watching the skies for Katara, but as of an hour ago no one had seen her. Bolin had done his best to help him finish up, but at this point, all that was left was the paperwork, and that could wait. He wanted to go home, have some noodles and sleep. He wanted to forget about this disastrous night.

Jai had left with Jun; she’d keep her promise to keep her sister at home, but he knew too well what desperate people were capable of doing, and he was beginning to regret letting her go so easily. He knew nothing about Jun, except that she’d been under the influence of Chin’s Beard. She was a firebender, but Jai never got the chance to tell him that. What else had Jun done that Jai didn’t know about?

And Jai. Yes, he’d done what she wanted, to let her sister go. But would she ever want to see him again? What a nightmare this whole event had been! Everybody liked her, but then they all ran off, toward the danger, like they’d always done. He could never promise that it wouldn’t happen again. If Beifong wanted him to take over for her someday, he’d barely ever get to see her!

And that was only if Jai wanted to stick around. Just as likely she’d kindly thank him for the good parts, but that it just wasn’t going to work out between them.

He was the last man out of the building. Opal and Bolin were gone, back to the Air Temple to relay the news to Tenzin; Korra and Asami had left with Lin and Kya, to get them to the hospital. They were probably home by now.

He walked through the growing light of morning. Feet trained by habit started him toward his apartment by the most efficient route, and it took him down the street where he’d met Jai. He passed in front of the stores, now dull and dark, their neon turned off. The street looked dull, empty, grey and dirty. Overhead the clouds were thickening, even as the sun rose, and their bottoms were flushed a pinkish orange. It might rain soon, or snow.

Once again he felt the hope of meeting her by accident, but that was absurd. With any luck she was asleep now, the door to her place safely bolted.

Finally he was climbing the steps to his apartment. A good rest was what he needed.

He passed people in the hall on their way to work. Good citizens, doing their best every day. He’d done his best, but it never seemed like enough. He almost envied their simple lives, going to work, going home, having families, having fun. Their troubles were usually small; the big crises he’d been handling since he met Korra had affected them, sometimes cruelly, but everyone shared in those.

He entered the empty apartment, cold light coming through the single window. The noodles he’d planned to eat turned out to be only three mouthfuls. He downed a glass of water to quiet the growling in his stomach, and dropped heavily onto the sofa. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d slept hungry.

* * *

Mako dreamed of finding Jai. At first he thought it was Asami, and then Korra, and then the both of them together as one person, but that wasn’t quite right either. He kept searching through crowds, looking for her. It was a crowd full of strangers.

He passed through endless numbers of doors. Each new room he crossed, looking, but she wasn’t anywhere around. They descended, stepping down through every doorway, and each room was darker. They were full of people, sitting, staring, talking but not to him. He had to push through them to get to the next door.

He was looking into her eyes again, and they saw through him. Everything he had ever feared, she knew. He was naked and afraid, but the eyes did not judge. Wrapped first in her red cloak, the cloth swirled and became flames, spinning flames that engulfed a man who shrieked in pain and horror. His own limbs were watery and he moved too slowly, but the fire went out and she was swathed in thick, black smoke, receding upward. He tried to follow, but couldn’t move.

The smoke surrounded him, and then it cleared and he was on a battlefield, Kuvira’s forces arranged in neat columns outside the city. He heard their feet stamp as they marched. It was persistent and growing louder. And louder.

Mako woke to the sound of knocking on his door.

He was confused for a moment, the memory of soldiers in his head, but that evaporated quickly. He rose and opened the door.

Jai was there, holding a basket.

“What… Jai? What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

“I asked the officer who dropped us off last night where you live.”

“But who’s with Jun? I still have to take her statement!” He was shocked.

“Mama is,” Jai said, calmly. “I wouldn’t just leave her alone, after you let us go.”

Mako closed his eyes, relieved. He had to trust her. Of course she would keep her word.

She had snow on the shoulders of her cloak, starting to melt. “May I come in?”

“Spirits! Of course, come in!” He stepped aside.

She brought her basket into the small apartment and put it on the table. “I thought… I thought you might be hungry.”

“I am, actually,” he said, surprised. “But why?”

“Last night didn’t turn out the way I hoped it would. We didn’t even get to have dinner,” she said, pretending to be nonchalant, but she tried to hide her eyes even as she glanced at him, nervously.

“I’m so sorry,” he said. But there wasn’t anything to follow that. Or far too much.

“I, uh…” Jai looked down at the table, her shy look, blushing. “Mama made this yesterday. She always makes too much. Would you like some?”

“Yes. Oh, yes of course.” He went and pulled a pair of plates from his cupboards. She unpacked the bowls from the basket. There was a vegetable curry, rice, sweet buns… it smelled amazing. His stomach growled loudly.

She giggled, and he relaxed just a bit. Suddenly it hit him that she was here to see him, even after all the trauma of the night before.

“You came to see me,” he said, dazed.

“Well of course, silly,” she said, dishing up the curry. “I said we didn’t get to have dinner. So now we’re having dinner!”

She sat, and patted the table, gesturing for him to join her.

He sat, and they fell to eating. It was delicious, even accounting for hunger. And either she had an extraordinary appetite, or she hadn’t eaten yet either.

“Did you wait until now to eat?” he asked.

The adorable blush again. He felt warm on the inside.

They finished, and Mako complimented Jai’s mother on the dish. They talked for a little about Fire Nation food, what they each liked, the sweets for special occasions they both craved. He felt the stress of the night easing. He wondered briefly what it would be like to come home to such a thing every day, like his neighbors… like his friends.

He put his hand out, and she put hers in it.

“Are you feeling better?” she asked.

“Yes. Definitely.”

“Okay then.” She reached inside her cloak, and brought out a small folded paper, with something inside it. “I wonder if this is why Kya’s in the spirit world. Maybe Supak Tan slipped it into her dinner somehow.”

The packet contained dried mushrooms, the strangest he’d ever seen. They weren’t brown and leathery. They looked like mother-of-pearl, a swirled, pale, translucent color.

“Kya would have been able to tell us what they were. We still don’t know where Katara is. But… where did you get them?”

“I just put it all together myself last night. I got some Chin’s Beard from a creepy truck driver who used to deliver to the Kyoshi Island club. He kept insisting I try it. But so he must have delivered things to the airbender restaurant too.”

“Lin said you got something from him.”

“I didn’t understand then. But you know how our room was trashed? I was searching for more Chin’s Beard in our dressers, that maybe Jun still had hidden. While I was cleaning that up I found these there.”

“Jun’s a firebender…” Mako shut his eyes to concentrate. “And there was one person we didn’t catch trying to enter the portal, who was a firebender. Do you think she might have been coming out, instead of coming in?”

“Mushrooms from the spirit world?” Jai aked.

“Harvesters!” He slapped his forehead. “It all makes sense now. He’s been trying to get spirit world stuff to boost his cures! ”

“So what do we do now?”

“Let’s get to the hospital. Maybe somebody there will know what to do.”

Mako went to get his jacket. When he turned, Jai was there, close. She was looking intently at him with those deep brown eyes. He paused, and put his hands gently on her shoulders.

“Thank you.”

“I should thank you. It’s been a wonderful date,” she said, with a sly smile.

“I should kiss you goodnight,” he said.

“Are you leaving without me?”

“Do you want to come along?”

“Yes.”

“What about the kiss goodnight?”

“How about we do that later?” she asked. But then her hands came up around his neck, and she kissed him. It was tender, but sensual. He was enthralled.

He grinned. “So what was that?”

“An appetizer?”

“If that’s an appetizer, I can’t wait for the main course.”

“We’ll have something delicious.”


	23. The Power of Love

This was close to perfect peace. Kya meditated on the shore of the stream, her thoughts loose and drifting, and she observed each one and let it go. Images of her family and friends drifted by, memories of joyous times. It was all good; even memories with sharp edges, like Dís leaving her without a goodbye, the injuries at the hands of the Red Lotus, being injured the desert hut with Nuying; they all had good in them. Their sum was her life, and it had been very good.

But of all these thoughts, those with Lin had been the best. Playing together as children, hilariously oblivious to her flirting as teenagers, and everything since that first night she’d slept on her sofa. Even the pain: Lin crushed under a building during the earthquake; the long nights when she was gone. The fight over the Breath of the Phoenix, leaving in anger, and returning to face Lin’s sadness. They were the necessary darkness that made her understand the light.

Every moment of life she had left she wanted to spend loving Lin. That was clear, and that thought stayed with her.

She felt a rising excitement; something tremendous was about to happen. She had felt neither warm nor cold, but now she felt a pleasant warmth on her skin, like the sun shining, though there was no sun in the spirit world.

She concentrated on her breathing and tried to contain the emotion, but it was very strong. She felt a presence near her.

“Flutterbug!”

“Dad?” she called out, her eyes closed, but turning her face upward. “Dad! I can hear you!”

She heard laughter, but not just that of her father; a woman’s voice… her mother?

“Kya, sweetie, open your eyes,” Aang laughed.

Startled, she did. She turned, and there they were behind her. Appa and Bubu too.

She dashed into his open arms, a little girl again, braids flying. “DADDY! Daddy Daddy Daddy Daddy Daddy!”

“Aww, Flutterbug! It’s soooo good to see you!” he said, as he twirled her around.

“Daddy! Daddy! I have something important to tell you!”

“What is it?” he said, excitedly.

“I have a new best friend! A best friend forever!”

“You DO?” he replied, in awed tones.

“Uh huh! It’s Lin! Lin is my best friend!”

“Oh, Flutterbug! That’s amazing! That’s the best news!” He scooped her up, in the hug only her dad could give.

“Dad, I wanted to tell you for so long now,” she said, suddenly older. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there when you…”

“Sweetie, Kya. I never left you. Only my body. My love has always been with you.”

“I know, Dad, but…”

“It’s easy to believe your senses. I know. But I’m always with you, and I always will be. And when you’re done with this life, you’ll be with me still. And so will Lin, and your mom, and everybody!”

She put her arms around him, and lay her head on his chest. “I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too, Flutterbug.”

Katara came near, her hair dark and flowing, a young mother once more. They embraced as a family, as they had done hundreds of times when she was a child. 

“Now, listen, sweetie,” Aang said. “Lin needs you now. She’s hurt, and she needs you to help her. Go love her, the way I love you. That will help her the most.”

“I will, Dad.”

“Don’t forget. Love is a form of energy. You have a very powerful qi, and you are a great healer. When you heal with love, it’s even stronger.”

“It is…” she said, suddenly understanding.

“I’ll always be with you, and you will always be with me, and I’ll see you again.”

She squeezed him tighter. 

When they let go, she asked, “How do I return?”

“Just… let go. Think of yourself back in your body. You’ll know.”

Then he stepped away, and took Katara by the hand. 

She watched as they walked away a distance, and they spoke to each other, quietly. It was strange, seeing her mother this, but it felt so good, and she felt the joy inside again as she saw them kiss, no different than they had been when she was a little Flutterbug. Except, she could swear she saw light coming from them.

He waved, and before she knew it he was back on Appa and flying. Her mother came and took her hand.

“Mom! We saw Dad!” The magnitude of this was just dawning on her.

“Yes, sweetie, we did, and we will again.” She took her daughter’s hand in her own. “Now we have things we need to do. But we’ll see him again.”

“Mom… how did I get here?”

“I don’t know, baby. But I better get back and find out. And you need to get back. If your father said Lin needs you, I have no doubt that she does.”

“Wait… how’d  _ you _ get here?”

Katara laughed. “I broke the law. Flew through the portal!”

They hugged each other, and then Katara climbed on Bubu and rose into the sky. She watched until they were out of sight.

_ Just let go, _ she thought. So she turned back to the stream, sat down, and breathed. 

_ I’ll always come back to you, Lin. _

* * *

Kya woke up. It was late morning. She was in a hospital bed. She looked around, and next to her, in another bed, was Lin. She had a mask over her face, with hoses leading to an air pump. Her eyes were closed.

“Oh, Lin,” she whispered. She sat up in her bed, and felt bruises along her side. No idea where that came from. And her stomach was upset, as though she’d eaten something awful. 

When her head stopped spinning, and the nausea passed, she swung around her feet and stood, wobbly, but made her way over to Lin. She took her limp hand in her own.

Lin’s eyes opened, unfocused at first, but when they saw Kya, the smile under the mask made its way into her eyes. She shifted, but did not move far. Kya then noticed the brace on her upper arm, and, the healer in her taking over, saw that her entire body was covered in bruises.

“Spirits, Lin, what’s happened to you?” Kya said, alarmed.

There was a shuffling, and turning, she saw that Korra and Asami were there in the room too. They’d been sleeping.

“What’s happening?” she asked.

“Kya, oh! I’m so glad you’re back!” Asami said.

“But what’s going on? Why is Lin like this? What happened?” 

Korra looked at Asami apprehensively. “Kya, um… it’s…well...”

Kya was near tears, now. Who’d done this to her? But then, remembering how she’d thought something dreadful had happened when she’d first arrived at the spirit world, she knew somehow it was her fault.

“What did I do?” she asked, in a whisper.

Asami took her by the arm and sat her back down on the bed. She looked at her evenly. “You used bloodbending on her.”

Horrified, she glanced at Lin’s injuries again. Her face screwed up in agony, and she bent over double in anguish. 

Korra came over and put a calming hand on her back.

“It wasn’t your fault, Kya. You were drugged.”

“I don’t remember. How could I do this? To Lin? I love her so much… how?”

“Soong Pak drugged you at the airbender restaurant.”

“Who?” Kya struggled to bring back the memories.

“Oh, right... Doctor Hao. You had dinner with him and Lin last night.”

“I don’t understand what you’re telling me. Soong Pak? That’s the criminal Lin’s been after. How does Doct— I mean, how does Hao An come into this?”

“Doctor Hao IS Soong Pak, and Supak Tan, the pharmaceutical jerk,” Asami said. “They’re all the same guy, in disguise.”

Kya’s mind was whirling. Images of looking down on a crowd, Lin in a beautiful black velvet suit. A great salad. 

“I was drugged. Okay…but how did I do this?” She sobbed.

“Hao drugged you with something, and he was about to… um… do something... to you. Lin stopped him just in time, but then he told you she was a demon, or something. That’s what Jai said.” Korra began.

“And you got up and thought the demon was attacking you.” Asami finished.

Mako and Jaidara appeared in the doorway.

“Kya! Oh, thank goodness you’re awake!” Jai exclaimed, and ran over to her, to put her arms around her.

Kya was overwhelmed. The black demon with the red eyes. Hao had doped her, probably with Chin’s Beard in her salad. No wonder she’d… she remembered feeling weird and saying so, at the table in that restaurant, up on a high platform. That man told her to bloodbend the person most important to her, by disguising her with Kya’s own mind.

Lin had been right all along. Chin’s Beard was just evil. She finally understood the fear that Lin had felt, that warm night in the garden.

Mako told everyone, “We think we know why Kya was in the spirit world.” He came around Lin’s bed and handed Kya the paper packet of mushrooms.

“What are these?” she asked.

“Spirit world mushrooms. Harvesters got into the portal and brought them back to give to Soong Pak. He experimented with them… on you.”

“Uhh... “ she groaned, and the nausea swept her again. Korra thoughtfully handed her a trash can, and everyone graciously turned away as she threw up, until she was emptied.

When she was through, a nurse was there, with a glass of water and a towel. She shooed all the visitors from the room, with stern warnings to keep quiet and let the patients rest.

Kya would not be still, however. When she’d regained her composure, she ordered the nurse to take Lin to a bath where she could heal her.

“But we’re supposed to wait for Katara,” the nurse said, anxiously.

“This is my job,” Kya said. “We don’t need to wait for my mother.”

The nurse hurried away, and soon she and some orderlies were there to take Lin. They kept her hooked to the air pump as they rolled her down the hallway. Kya was at her side, holding her hand.

They entered a room with a wide bath, used by waterbenders. It was spare and clean, and a cool light entered from the window. It was snowing outside. 

Lin was lifted carefully from the gurney and Kya bent the water up to meet her, and lowered her softly down into the rippling pool. She moved through her forms, drawing the water up and down Lin’s body, and the room was lit now more brightly with the glow of healing.

After a few minutes of this, she stepped into the pool herself, and took the mask off Lin, who lay motionless, her face peaceful. Lin turned her face to Kya.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Kya bent and kissed her. “I love you too.”

Close now, she put her hands directly on Lin, and concentrated her qi on the area of Lin’s lungs. In just moments, Lin sat up, took a deep breath, coughed hard, and spat up a black glob. 

“Okay, that’s just gross,” she said, in her normal voice. 

They began to laugh, and drew together in a tight embrace. Neither wanted to be the first to let go.


	24. And Then

Two hours later, Katara landed at Air Temple Island.

“Mom!” Bumi shouted, as soon as he spotted her descending. “Mom, everyone’s looking for you!”

She landed, and Bumi helped her off the young bison. “Where have you been? The police called looking for you! Lin Beifong’s been injured, and they need your help!”

Katara smiled. She patted Bumi’s arm. “No they don’t. They have Kya. I’m sure everything is taken care of by now.”

“That’s just it, Mom! Kya’s stuck in the spirit world! Nobody knows why!”

“Are you sure?” she laughed.

Bumi looked at her quizzically. “What’s going on, Mom? How are you so sure?”

“Just by chance I ran into Kya just a little while ago. She’s fine. And Lin will be fine too… Kya knows just what to do.”

“But they said you were missing! Where did you go?”

“Out. I went to do a little sightseeing, and ran into a couple of old friends.”

“Grandma!” Meelo shouted, and ran toward her. Ikki was not far behind, and Rohan toddled after. The surrounded her with hugs and smiles. She bent to return their embraces.

Tenzin and Pema arrived, and Tenzin asked sharply, “Where have you been?”

Katara raised an eyebrow at him, and even though he towered over her, he shrank at her expression. “We were worried about you,” he added, meekly.

“I appreciate your concern,” she said, “but I’m quite capable of taking care of myself, thank you.  Remember, age is just a number.” 

“The police were looking for you,” Tenzin said. “Lin was badly hurt.”

“That’s what Bumi said,” she replied. “But I know that Kya has already returned from the spirit world and that she knows what to do to heal her. She’s better equipped to handle this than I am.”

The two brothers looked at each other.

“You know she was back from the spirit world?” Tenzin asked. “Is that where  _ you _ were?”

“It was my turn,” she said, unapologetically, as she lifted Bubu’s saddle off the young bison. Then she moved to take her things back to her room. Her stride was confident and purposeful, her chin was up, and she smiled with pride. The conversation was over, and no one dared question her further.

* * *

Two days later, Soong Pak died.

Jun had to face charges. She’d killed Pak, and that couldn’t be ignored. Lin assured Mako that she would testify in her defense; Pak was a deadly criminal, she was a victim of his treachery, and Lin herself had been in imminent danger. Any judge would be out of their mind to convict her for that.

Less easy to escape were the charges of trespassing on the portal grounds, and assaulting the officers there, the ones Katara had healed. She knew Soong Pak had been dealing in illegal substances, and that charge was conspiracy. 

There were a number of other collaborators: the hired muscle and the truck drivers who’d also been harvesters. When Soong Pak died and the supplies of Chin’s Beard and cactus juice in his offices were seized, many of them were taken into custody. It was a major bust, and it made the papers. 

Jaidara was at once relieved that her sister was free from Soong Pak’s influence, but devastated at the repercussions. Jun was going to prison for making a foolish mistake, the same as many others. Dissatisfaction with a tedious job had led Jun down a terrible path. It was only luck that had kept Jai from the same outcome. 

Jun’s arrest was handled by two cops who hadn’t been involved with any of the events; Mako asked for that specifically. But they still knew she was the one who’d attacked their fellow officers at the portal, Ong and Eun, and they weren’t gentle with Jun when they cuffed her and took her to the paddy wagon. Her mother screamed and cried and tried to keep them from taking her, but in the end Jaidara had to pull her mother away. 

She stayed home for several days, working out her feelings. After a time she went back to Kyoshi Island and asked for her job back; Tok and Miki had seen the stories in the papers, and welcomed her with open arms.

Mako took over for Lin the first few days after her recovery, but with the questioning and handling of suspects and paperwork there didn’t seem like there was any time to go see Jaidara.  When Lin did take back the reins, she made Mako take a couple of days off to clear his head. Like Lin, he really didn’t know what to do with time off. He slept in for half a day, and then aimlessly walked the streets of Republic City. 

36th and Roku Boulevard. Jai lived just over there. He could go, just for a minute, just to check on her, couldn’t he? 

Even as he told himself he should just leave her alone, Mako’s feet took him to the building. He looked up at the brownstone, just like all the others on the block, like so many in this neighborhood. Nothing imposing, nothing fancy or pretentious. A home to come to. Jai felt like that to him.

He sighed. He really wanted to see her. She’d… she’d come to see him, right? The day after? She wanted to spend the time with him, have dinner with him, even after all that horror. It had been so good. It felt so easy to be with her.

He went in and up to her apartment, and with only one more moment of hesitation, knocked on the door.

There was definitely someone inside, bumping and scraping, but he waited a long, awkward moment. He raised his hand, knuckles poised to knock again, when the door was jerked open.

“Whadda you want?” the woman snarled. She looked like she’d just awakened. Her mother.

“Oh, um. Excuse me, ma’am. Would Jaidara be home?”

“No, she’s at work.” The door was shut in his face before he was able to say anything else.

He was stalled. Where was work? She’d quit the Kyoshi Island club just before he’d met her. Where did she work now?

There was nothing else to do. He went back to his apartment.

The short afternoon gave way to an early evening. He sat listless on his sofa, looking out the window as the light faded, thinking about all the things that had happened. It was astonishing, really, that it had all happened so quickly. He’d met Jai no more than a couple of weeks ago, only really been around her a few times; but what he felt sure felt like love.

Korra had confessed that she thought the two of them were made for each other not long after they’d met, too, but she was wrong, and they both learned it the hard way. And he really liked Asami, a lot, but was it really love then? He still cared about them both. He still loved them both, as friends. It had been so weird to find out they were together now, but looking over the time they’d all known each other, it really made the most sense. He really was happy for them.

The phone rang.

“Mako here.”

“You’re not at work. You don’t need to be so formal!” Korra laughed, on the other end of the line.

“I don’t know what to do when I’m not at work anymore,” he said dully.

“You’re turning into Lin. Well, you wanna go to the match tonight? The Mongoose Lizards are up against the Tigerdillos…”

He brightened. Thank the Universe for good friends. “Hey, that’s not a bad idea. You got tickets?”   


“I’ve always got tickets. Asami’s got connections,” she said, somewhere between smug, proud, and besotted with love. Mako smiled.

“Yeah, sure. What time?”

“Starts at eight. You wanna grab something before?”

“Where’s Asami? Is she coming?”

“She’s got a deadline with an order of something for the city. She’ll be home late.”

“Okay… Li Han’s?”

There was a knocking sound.

“Hang on, Korra. Somebody’s at the door.”

“Yep.”

He went to the door, and Jai was there. He stood, at a loss for a moment, and remembered that Korra was waiting on the phone for him. 

“Umm… I may have to change plans,” he said absently into the phone.

“What? Why? Who’s there?”

“Jai,” he said, looking at her, and hung up on Korra.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” she said.

“Korra.” he said, distracted. “Uh, I mean, that was Korra. She wanted to go to a Pro-bender match.”

“Oh. Well, maybe I should leave,” she replied.

“No! No, no… I’m glad to see you. Uh…”

She dropped her gaze again. “Mama said you came by.” She looked up at him, searching his face. “Well, she said somebody came by, looking for me, but she didn’t say who. Was it you?”

“Yeah. I did.”

“We need to talk,” she said. 

Mako’s stomach tightened. This was always the lead-in to bad news.

He pulled a chair out from the table and gestured for her to sit. Then he took the other and faced her, his face grim but determined.

“Well,” he said. “Go ahead. I’m ready.”

She laughed, that melodious noise that he adored, and put her hand out, palm up. He put his into it.

“I missed you,” she said. “But I have a lot to say, and not all of it’s easy.”

“I missed you too. I came by because… all I wanted was to see you. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I wasn’t. I haven’t been since Jun was arrested. It’s so complicated, Mako. I’m glad this mess is over with, but I’m sad that she’s got to go to jail anyway, and I’m angry that they took her like a dirty criminal. Mama’s furious and she wants me to stop seeing you. She said it’s your fault.”

“But I…” 

“You didn’t do anything. You did your job. Even let us off easy that night. I know. Without you, she might still be doing whatever it was that... “ Jai’s voice trailed off.

“I’m sorry I got you mixed up in this. It’s what we do.”

“That’s what Asami said after the explosion. ‘This is what we do.’ You run towards danger. I know that.”

“So you and me… we’re not gonna work out, are we?”

“I never said that.”

Mako was thunderstruck. “But… we’re always getting mixed up in dangerous situations.”

“Somebody has to. I’m glad you’re one of those people.”

“Jai… I don’t get it. You said we needed to talk. So what’s the bad news?”

She sighed. “There’s no bad news, necessarily. It’s just… this is harder than I thought it would be.”

“You can trust me,” he said, softly.

“Well… for one thing, there’s something I want.”

“What is it?”

“You,” she said.

His heart stopped and he died. Well, it felt like it for a moment, but then his heart started pounding, like it was the engine revving on a new Sato Racer.

She rose, and came around the small table, and stood by him, either expectantly or unsure. He was sure, however, and he got up and kissed her. His hands were on her back as he pulled her close, and her cloak was soft. She was so, so beautiful, and sweet, and he could feel her lithe body through the folds. 

She stepped back, and now her eyes were fixed on his, expectant, almost challenging. 

He waited.

“Aren’t you going to…?” she asked.

“Do you want me to?”

She was surprised. “I didn’t think you’d ask. I thought you’d just go ahead.”

He frowned. “Why would you think that? I’m not going to do anything you’re not ready to do.”

“Mako,” she said, with a look of astonishment, “You are not like any man I have ever,  _ ever _ met.”

“I’m confused,” he said. “What are we talking about?”

She stepped back toward him, and put her arms around his neck, and looked up into his eyes, smiling.

“You’re so…  _ good. _ Honorable. Trustworthy. Every man I’ve ever known, they all thought about themselves first.” 

He didn’t know what to say.

Jaidara took his hand and led him to the sofa, and they sat down together. Their eyes locked and she studied his face, looking through him the way she had in the dream, without judgment. 

She stood, and the cloak dropped to the floor, revealing herself in only bra and panties. She put a leg over his lap, and sat facing him on his thighs. She put her lips to his, and slipped her tongue into his mouth. Hungrily he accepted the kiss, and his hands gripped her bottom, pressing her against himself. He was hard, ready. It had been a long, long time.

As she unbuttoned his shirt, his hands reached around to find the hooks of her bra. Soon they were both free, and their mouths met again, eager and searching, like their hands. Breathlessly she pulled away, and worked at the buttons of his trousers, and he ran his fingers underneath the fabric of her underwear, taking in the silken texture of her skin.

Once he was freed, he stood and let trousers and boxers fall off, and she pulled her panties off. He sat back down again, and she climbed back up, and lowered herself onto him, eyes closed, head back, throat exposed. She sighed as he filled her.

He groaned. He could barely open his eyes. It had been too long, and there was no way he’d be able to keep himself from coming too soon. He forced his eyes open, and she fixed him with her commanding gaze, moving her hips in rhythm with his.

“We have to slow down,” he managed.

“It’s okay,” she said. “Just come.”

He was both utterly humbled and honored that she had let him become a part of her, let him actually be inside her; and yet as he came he felt powerful, extending his energy forcefully, completing the connection between them. It was like redirecting lightning except he himself was the electricity.

And then it was done, and he shuddered and gasped, all else forgotten but her. Warm and blissful, he could imagine nothing better, until she bent and kissed him again.

“I think I’m in love with you,” he said.

She rolled off, and pulling the cloak up to cover them both, curled into the crook of his arm. Her long, dark hair trailed across his chest, and he was struck by it; she’d been covered most of the time he’d known her. She was extraordinary, gorgeous.

“Well, that’s kind of the hard part,” she said, finally.

Alarm bells went off in his mind. “Why?”

“I think I’m in love with you too. But so now I don’t know what to do.”

“You could… you could stay with me?” It was a new, strange, exciting thought.

“I could. But it’s not what I had planned.”

He tried to think. What did this mean? She said she felt the same way he did. 

“What did you have planned?”

“You know I want to be a writer.”

“Yeah. That doesn’t have to change.”

“But I haven’t been anywhere. I’ve hardly seen anything. You’ve already been all over the world. I need to see it too.”

Now he understood the difficulty. He wanted her to stay, she wanted to see the world. He didn’t want to leave his job, just as he’d started to assume greater responsibility. She wanted to stay with him, but that meant giving up a dream.

“I see.”

“Mako… it’s a hard choice. Really hard. You’d be worth it.”

“But you’d regret it.”

She looked up at him, her eyes shining. “Thank you.”

“For?”

“Understanding.”

His heart was breaking, just the same. “I wish I didn’t.”

She leaned into him, her arms around his torso. “It doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be back.”

“No, I guess not.”

“And I would write you long letters from everywhere.”

“I’d… I’d like that.”

“And I’d be back to visit.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Your mom and sister...”

“And you too. Do you see where I’m going with this?”

“Away,” Mako said, glumly.

“But not forever. So here’s the hardest part, Mako. Would you wait for me?”

It had been years since he’d broken up with Asami, and Korra too. He was content with them as friends. They all wanted him to find a girlfriend, but he just hadn’t felt the drive. Blind dates usually went nowhere. He remembered the trip down to the South Pole, on his undercover mission to escort Kya into Lin’s protection. He’d realized that Bumi was unmarried, content in being just Bumi. That thought had comforted him then.

So was this really different? Sure, he’d miss her… just a week or so without seeing her hadn’t been easy. But there were things he could do in the meantime… learn more from the Chief; study and read, and become as polished as the Chief was. Save up money for a home. She’d write letters, and so would he; she’d visit, and he’d be with her every time she was back. She’d be happy, and when she was done traveling, she’d come back to him.

“I know it’s really selfish of me to ask. I should just let you go, and be free to find somebody else. But… you know. To me, you feel like a home to come to.”

“How do you do that?” Mako asked, surprised.

“Do what?”

“You say things that I’ve been thinking. How do you do that?”

“What things?”

“‘You feel like a home to come to.’ I thought the same thing, when I went to see you earlier today.”

This time, he felt the heat of Jai’s blushing cheeks on the skin of his breast. 

“Yeah. Yeah. I’ll wait for you.” He turned, and lifted her chin, and kissed her, as he pressed her back onto the cushions of the sofa. 

“I mean,” she said, laughing, “it’s not like I’m leaving tomorrow.”

“So stay. Tonight. Stay.”

“Well, we do have a little unfinished business,” she said, with a smirk. And then she blushed again.

* * *

Two weeks later, a large, iridescent dragon spirit emerged from the portal above Republic City. Spirits were common enough now that not too many citizens were shocked, though many did note its brilliant colors and great size. Spirits this large were also generally not tolerant of humans, so when it started approaching people, they ran the other way.

After a barrage of calls to the police, Mako called Korra, pleading with her to find out what the spirit wanted.

“Spirit,” she called, standing in the empty plaza in front of City Hall, as the huge dragon swirled overhead. “Spirit, what have we done to upset you?”

“Oh, nothing!” the dragon responded. “I’m looking for someone.”

The Avatar was baffled. “Who?”

“You call her the Mighty Katara.”

This didn’t help Korra become less baffled. “Why? What did she do?”

“Oh, heavens no! Don’t worry. This is a social visit!” The dragon landed on the plaza, creating a breeze as it flapped its wide wings at landing. “You may tell her that Miss Fancyfeathers is calling on her.”

The crowd of Republic City citizens that had been hiding behind buildings at the edge of the plaza peeked around the corners now. There were gasps. The dragon was indeed beautiful and very, very fancy.

Korra laughed, amazed. “That’s great! Let’s go find her!”

* * *

Two months later, Lin and Kya went to see Nuying’s quintet at Kyoshi Island.

Nuying and Tsukiko led their little jazz group in such joyful improvisation that it felt like music was being invented for the first time, there on the spot. Lin Beifong was their biggest fan; since she’d missed their performance the night of the incident, they scheduled another show in her honor.

Hao An was gone from the clinic, and all his patients had to be accommodated: none were satisfied. The past several weeks she’d stayed at late at work as Lin often did, sometimes longer. Lin was always there when she got home on those late nights, and she had come to appreciate things from Lin’s point of view. Having someone there at the end of the day was a balm to her spirit.

Lin didn’t take long to recover from her injuries. She’d spent a few days hacking up ugly clots from her lungs, but a few healing sessions had made that easier, and it was over quickly. The bruises faded, and the bone was nicely set in her arm.

She went back to work as soon as Kya would allow, which wasn’t quite enough time off, in Kya’s opinion, but Lin was getting antsy about spending so much time at home just “taking it easy”. Kya found it difficult to deny Lin anything since she’d come back from the spirit world.

Guilt plagued her. She was fully aware how close Lin had come to death. The qi she had to extend in order to heal her at the hospital had left Kya drained. Aang had said love was an energy, and could make her healing more powerful. That was true. But the amount of energy it took to bring her back and heal the injuries was a surprise even to Kya. Anyone less strong than Lin would most likely have died. If she’d been even a few minutes later she might not have been able to do it.

Lin didn’t know this. 

She was grateful to be better, and never said a word about how Kya had been the one to injure her. She blamed Soong Pak completely. At Jun’s trial, just finished, Lin refused even to acknowledge the argument they’d had earlier that week, though the defense attorney tried to suggest that there was no proof that Pak had fed the mushrooms to Kya, and that she’d been bloodbent out of anger. Witness after witness called the notion absurd; there were no two people less likely to hurt each other intentionally than Kya and Lin. Tukkatok called the lawyer a word that had to be struck from the record, but which drew a big laugh from the crowd in the courtroom.

From the outside, it looked like everything was back to normal. 

At home, Kya was quiet and deferent. She’d told Lin about seeing her father, telling him that Lin was her best friend forever, with the heart of a child. Lin was awestruck. Kya wept as she told her, with soft, slow tears, but Lin mistook them for joy. It was only the past few days that things had calmed down enough at their jobs that Lin noticed how withdrawn Kya was becoming. 

Tok passed by the table, clearing away the empty glasses and bottles, and bent down to whisper in Kya’s ear. “I need you at the bar.”

Kya was surprised. She nodded, and when the number finished, and while everyone was clapping, she rose and went off to see what Tok needed.

“What’s wrong?”

Tok eyed her seriously. “I said, you gotta keep talking.”

Kya frowned. “We’re fine. What are you talking about?”

“No, you’re not. Something’s wrong. What happened to you? I haven’t seen you laugh once tonight.”

“There’s nothing… wrong…” Kya said, but turned her face away. 

“You ain’t you. There’s something eating at you. You gotta talk about it.”

Kya sighed.

“I don’t know what exactly happened… and it doesn’t matter. That whole mess is over. Jai’s back at work, at least for now, and you got Lin back to herself. Now what about you?”

“I nearly killed her, Tok!” she whispered. “You don’t know how close it was! I keep hurting her, again and again! ”

Tok shut her eyes, set her jaw, and shook her head. When she opened them, she leaned forward on the bar and fixed Kya with a stern look.

“You gotta talk about it.”

Kya’s shoulders slumped.

“You think she ain’t gonna figure it out on her own? You ain’t you. She knows it. Look. She’s lookin’ at you now.”

She was. Lin’s face was concerned. When she saw Kya turn to look at her, she smiled sweetly and gestured her head for Kya to come back.

Tok patted her hand. “You never meant to hurt her. That’s what matters. Shit happens. That’s life. Go talk. She’s the one.”

Kya went back to the table, and Lin pulled Kya’s chair close to her own. When Kya sat back down, Lin put her arm protectively around her waist. She was warm and gentle, as always, but always so strong.

The set finished, and the band joined their best fans at their table for toasts. Lin glowed. It was as though she was finally understanding that she had new friends; not just Kya, but all these women. Kya leaned into her embrace, glad that at least she had brought her this much.

After a long night of laughter, Kya and Lin took a cab home, and Lin kept her close. She knew there was something bothering Kya, and now was the time to get it out in the open.

Katara was gone again, this time down to the Swamp to see Toph. Miss Fancyfeathers wanted to see the human world, and Katara took advantage of the opportunity to travel. It would have been too long a trip for the young Bubu, but there would be time enough for him after he grew a bit more. Jai went with them, beginning the first leg of her journeys. Kya gave her her old traveling bag as a good-luck gift; she didn’t need it any longer.

Inside, they relaxed on the sofa, as they had done that very first night back in the apartment, Lin’s protective arm around Kya. Then, her stomach had been full of nervous energy. Now it was again, but more like excitement than the anxiety of the first time.

“What were you and Tok talking about? It looked serious.”

Kya chuckled. “It was. She said ‘You gotta keep talking.’”

Lin put her cheek on top of Kya’s silver hair. “You want to tell me?”

“It’s not easy.”

“I know how that is.”

“You never,” she started, and took a deep breath. “You never blamed me.”

Lin frowned slightly. “It was never your fault.”

“You…”

“What?”

“I almost wasn’t able to bring you back. It almost wasn’t enough.”

Lin sighed.

“Just as I got done telling Dad how much I loved you, I almost lost you. And it would have been my fault.”

“But it  _ wasn’t _ your fault. It was Pak’s. And anyway, you did bring me back.”

“I keep hurting you. You were hurt from the very first day. Time after time I cause you pain.”

Lin pulled her in tight. A hand caressed Kya’s cheek.

“I’ve hurt you too, sometimes. You’ve always forgiven me.”

Kya squeezed her a little.

“I wouldn’t change anything. You’re everything to me. Every good thing I have is because of you.”

She pulled away, and brought Kya’s chin up to look her in the eye.

“Every. Good. Thing.”

She kissed her, as she’d done countless times before.

“I have something to show you... “ Lin said. She got up and went off towards the bedroom. Kya stood to follow, but Lin waved for her to stay where she was.

Puzzled, Kya waited.

And waited.

Just at the point when Kya was about to check if everything was all right, Lin came out into the living room, wearing a silky black negligée under a sheer robe.

Kya was stunned. To her knowledge, Lin only wore jackets and trousers. She’d never worn a dress, even when she was young. When she slept, it was always a clean, neat, white sleeveless shirt, and a pair of pajama pants. 

This was so different, so… feminine. So very, very sexy.

Lin sauntered back to her, hips swaying, in a way quite unusual for her. Kya was mesmerized. 

She walked behind the sofa, and trailed a finger across Kya’s shoulders as she passed, heading toward the kitchen.

“How about a nightcap?” she asked, her voice sultry, reaching in the liquor cabinet. Her movements were graceful and fluid.

Kya’s mouth was dry. She gulped. “Uh… oh.. Uh…”

Lin filled two glasses with ice and whiskey and put them on the kitchen table. She leaned on the table, one foot up on a chair, so that she was in profile from Kya’s perspective, and sipped at her drink.

This was too much. Kya was captivated. She moved, earnestly, around the sofa and into the kitchen, straight toward Lin. She had to have her, now.

She handed Kya the glass, and Kya downed it, and slammed it back on the table. Hungrily she put her hands on Lin’s hips, and pressed in for a kiss. She was not disappointed. Lin’s arms came around her neck, and Kya had to put her palms on the table so as not to fall. 

Leaning back, she pulled Lin upright, and took the robe from her shoulders, letting it fall. Hands moved up and down the smooth fabric, feeling the lean body beneath. She moved her lips down Lin’s throat, pushing aside the strap of her negligée to mumble her mouth along her shoulder. Her hands were down on the backs of Lin’s thighs, gripping gently, stroking upward, pushing the hem of the garment higher. Palms cupped the roundness of her bare buttocks, fingers squeezing softly. Lin started to breathe heavily.

She pushed Lin back onto the kitchen table, and pushed the negligée up out of her way. Lin opened herself, and Kya teased her with a single stroke of her tongue, before turning her attention to the soft warm flesh of Lin’s legs, leaving a burning trail of kisses up and down, both right and then left. She felt Lin’s fingers in her hair, pulling her in, and she obliged, circling slowly, tasting the essence of her lover. One hand reached up to cover a breast, and Lin grasped her wrist to keep it there, an anchor against the waves of pleasure surging over her.

Kya grinned to herself. It was time to try something new. Extending her qi into the moisture inside Lin, she focused and moved it within her walls, reaching with extraordinarily smooth but firm pressure against the most sensitive places. Lin drew a sharp, shocked breath.

At that Kya curled her tongue around the throbbing clitoris, and Lin arched her back, her mouth open in a rising cry. With steady, even movements, she knew Lin was near breaking. She began to tremble and then to quake, and with something like a shout, sat almost upright as her body seized with the orgasm.

Kya caught her, before she fell, and Lin clung to her, tremors still passing through. 

Turning, she swept Lin’s legs out from under her and carried her back into the bedroom, and put her on the bed as carefully as haste would allow. Her own clothes were off in seconds, and she nearly leapt onto the bed beside her, curling in with more kisses and caresses.

“You don’t always hurt me. Sometimes you do…  _ that _ .”

“HmRmf?” Kya asked, her lips occupied with Lin’s skin. 

“Never mind. Just keep doing what you’re doing, and I think everything will be all right.”

 


End file.
